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Kajaik
Sudanese dried fish stew with onion, tomato and peanut butter
Kajaik is a stew from the Nile towns of northern Sudan, where fish from the river is salted and sun-dried to keep through the year; it is cooked with plenty of onion, tomato and a spoonful of peanut butter and eaten with aseeda (thick porridge) or kisra. The flavour is deep and savoury, a little like a rich fish curry without the heat. The mistake is not soaking the dried fish long enough, which makes the stew far too salty and the fish tough; soak it overnight and change the water twice. Chef's tip: if you can't find dried Nile fish, salted dried cod (bacalao) works well.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Soak 14 oz dried salted fish in plenty of cold water in the fridge for 24 hours, changing the water 2 or 3 times. Drain, taste a flake: it should be pleasantly salty, not harsh.
1440 minStep 2: Put the fish in a pan of fresh water, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Drain, remove skin and bones and break into large flakes.
10 minStep 3: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot and cook 3 onions over a medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden brown.
15 minStep 4: Add 4 garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander and 1 green chilli and cook for 1 minute, then 2 tbsp tomato paste and 3 tomatoes and cook for 8 minutes until thick.
9 minStep 5: Whisk 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter with 2 cups water and stir it in. Add the fish and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the fish has soaked up the flavour. The fish should be piping hot right through.
15 minStep 6: Taste before adding any salt. Finish with 1 lime and serve with aseeda, kisra or bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kajaik take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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