Ingredients
- Okra: Fresh okra, finely chopped.
- Fish: Fresh fish with firm flesh.
- Red palm oil: Essential for traditional taste and color.
- Dried/smoked fish and seafood:
- Guedj (dried salted fish).
- Yete (dried mollusc/cymbium).
- Shrimp (optional but recommended).
- Aromatics and seasoning:
- Onions and garlic.
- Fresh peppers.
- Netetou (fermented néré seeds).
- Salt and black pepper.
- Broth (according to your taste).
Instructions
- Prepare the okra: Wash the okra and cut them into very small pieces or thin rounds. You can also chop them lightly in a food processor.
- Cook the base: In a large pot of boiling water, add the chopped okra. Cook until it softens and releases its mucilage (natural juice).
- Add the seafood and herbs: Add the dried fish (guédj), the yet, as well as the mixed mixture of onions, garlic and netétou. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the fish: Add the fresh fish to the pot. Let it simmer with the okra until the fish is cooked through. You can remove the fish temporarily to prevent it from crumbling.
- Add the palm oil: Pour in the red palm oil. This is a crucial step that gives the stew its characteristic texture and orange color.
- Simmer: Let everything simmer over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the okra from sticking to the bottom. The soup is ready when the oil rises to the surface and the okra is perfectly integrated into a thick sauce.
- Latest additions: Add the shrimp or other seafood towards the end of cooking so that they remain tender.
- Serve: The Kandia soup is traditionally served over white rice (usually broken rice). Place the cooked fish on the rice and cover it generously with the okra sauce.