This is a classic Gambian recipe for a classic smoked catfish red palm oil stew with chillies and vegetables.
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 45 minutes/Serves: 6
Ingredients:
6 smoked catfish, washed well and cut into two pieces each
1 lemon
sea salt
2 tomatoes
12 okra
1 aubergine (eggplant) cut into thick slices
3 brown onion
2 red onions
6 garlic cloves
1/2 small white cabbage, cut into 3 wedges
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cassava root, peeled, cut into pieces and cored
6 whole habanero chillies
125ml (1/2 cup) red palm oil
1 maggi cube
salt, to taste
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato purée
4 bayleaves
1 piece salted fish
Method:
Place the washed catfish in a bowl and squeeze over the juice of the lemon then scatter over plenty of the sea salt. Transfer to your refrigerator and allow to marinate for about 1 hour.
Combine the tomato, onions, garlic, 4 habanero chillies and the red bell peppers in a blender or food processor and chop finely (do not render to a paste).
Place your pot over medium heat, add the red palm oil and when hot add the finely chopped mixture and stir-fry for about 6 minutes until everything is nicely caramelized. Add 1 tbsp soy sauce then crumble in a Maggi cube and season to taste with salt.
Now stir in the tomato purée until dissolved then add the bayleaves. Continue cooking, covered, for 5 minutes until the oil separates and the mixture is essentially dry (there is no more liquid water). At this point add 1l (4 cups) water. Bring to a boil then add in all the vegetables (aubergine, cassava, cabbage, whole okra and remaining 2 habanero chillies) along with the salted fish.
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender. Now add all the catfish pieces and stir carefully to submerge them into the sauce (be gentle, so they do not break up). Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low-medium and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the catfish is tender.
Serve with white rice.
