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Sauce gombo
Sauce gombo: Ivorian okra sauce with smoked and fresh fish and a little red palm oil
Sauce gombo is one of the everyday sauces of Côte d'Ivoire, simmered in Abidjan compounds and village kitchens for lunch and eaten with foutou, rice or attiéké. Sliced okra cooks down with tomato, onion, chilli and a little red palm oil until it turns pleasantly silky and draws together, and smoked fish gives it a deep savoury flavour, with fresh fish added at the end. High in fibre and protein and suitable as part of a balanced diet; serve with a modest portion of brown rice or attiéké. About 290 kcal and 12 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is stirring hard and often, which makes the okra stringy; stir gently. Chef's tip: pick small, bright okra pods that snap cleanly, as large pods are woody.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz firm white fish fillets or steaksin large pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp red palm oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 1 scotch bonnet chilliwhole, pierced
- 2 ½ cups water
- 14 oz okratopped and thinly sliced
- 1 tsp soumbala (fermented locust beans) (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Season the 14 oz firm white fish fillets or steaks with half the 1 tsp salt and set aside in the fridge.
2 minStep 2: Heat the 2 tbsp red palm oil in a pot over a medium heat and fry the 1 onion for 5 minutes, then the 2 cloves garlic for 1 minute.
6 minStep 3: Add the 2 tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the 2 ½ cups water, 1 scotch bonnet chilli, 7 oz smoked fish (mackerel or catfish), skin and bones removed and 1 tsp soumbala (fermented locust beans) if using and simmer for 10 minutes.
15 minStep 4: Add the 14 oz okra and the rest of the salt and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring gently once or twice, until the okra is tender and the sauce is thick and slippery.
10 minStep 5: Lay the fresh fish on top, cover and cook for 7–8 minutes, until opaque and flaking. Lift out the chilli (or burst it for more heat) and serve.
8 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sauce gombo take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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