Bowl of Fish Stew Casamance
(click to enlarge)

Fish Stew Casamance


Africa - Senegal   -   Caldou
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 4 w/rice
**
45 min
Yes		 This stew, from southwest Senegal, is quite simple, but also very flavorful. My ingredients and steps closely follow the pattern recipe, but are adjusted to my different serving style (see Serving).

1-1/2
ar
ar
1
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8
5
2-1/2
1
1
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1
ar
1
1/2
3
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4
2
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#


T
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oz
oz
oz
T

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T

T
t
T
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oz
T
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Fish Fillets(1)
Salt
Pepper
Lemon Juice
-- Vegies
Tomatoes
Onions
Okra (2)
Vinegar, white
Habanero (3)
---------------
Oil
Water
Fish Sauce (4)
Salt
Lemon Juice
-- Serve With
Steamed Rice
Baguedj Sauce (5)
----------------
Prep   -   (25 min)
  1. Prepare FISH FILLETS depending on your serving style - cut into large bite size chunks for buffet, or halve them or leave them whole (depending on fish size) for more formal service (see Serving). Rub or tumble with Salt, Pepper and 1 T Lemon Juice (see below). Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature or at least 1 hour in the fridge.
  2. Scald TOMATOES one minute in boiling water. Quench in cold water and peel. Cut into about 1/2 inch dice..
  3. Quarter ONION lengthwise and slice thin crosswise. Mix with Tomatoes.
  4. Trim caps of OKRA into cones, being careful not to cut into the hollow interior. Place in a non-reactive bowl and tumble with Vinegar. Let sit at least 20 minutes tumbling now and then to keep wet. This helps keep them from breaking apart in cooking.
  5. Split HABANERO CHILI open.
  6. Squeeze 6 T LEMON JUICE (it's used in two places here, and in the Baguedj Sauce (if used)).
Run   -   (20 min)
  1. In a spacious sauté pan, heat Oil. Fry Tomato mix until Onions are tender, but no browning.
  2. Add Fish to the pan and enough Water to almost cover the fish.
  3. Bring to a simmer. Stir in Fish Sauce, Salt, Okra and Habanero. Bring back to a simmer until Okra is tender, about 10 minutes.
  4. Serve hot with plenty of steamed Jasmine rice. This stew can be reheated if a reasonably firm fish is chosen (tilapia or better).
NOTES:

  1. Fish Fillets:

      Any light colored fish that holds up to wet cooking is fine. Some can be used skin-on. For the photo example I used Tilapia fillets, though for guests I'd probably use Golden Pompano, most likely skin-on. For details see our Varieties of Fish (very large page).

  2. Okra:

      Use the smallest, youngest Okra pods you can find.

  3. Habanero Chili:

      Habanero / Scotch Bonnet Chilis from the Caribbean now dominate in West Africa. For details see our African Chilis page.

  4. Fish Sauce:

      Thai/Vietnamese Fish Sauce was introduced to Senegal by refugees from the French Indochina war in the early 1950s. It is now often used, as it is here, in place of a piece of Guedj, a dried fermented white fish. If you are unfamiliar with it, see our Fish Sauce - Introduction page.

  5. Baguedj Sauce:

      This sauce is traditionally served with this stew and other fish dishes. It is a very interesting sauce and worth trying. See our recipe Baguedj Sauce.

  6. Serving:

      The writer of the pattern recipe is a chef oriented to restaurant presentations. I usually serve buffet style or very simply, thus there are procedural differences between my version and his. He uses whole Fish with diagonal slashes through the skin, rather than fillets. Whole bone-in fish doesn't work at all well for my guests, but his style of serving could also be done with whole fillets.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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