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Loading...A rich, deeply flavored West African stew built on concentrated palm fruit pulp, simmered with tender smoked fish, beef, eggplant, okra, and mushrooms. This comforting Ivory Coast classic is traditionally served with fufu or boiled plantains and has a silky, slightly nutty red-orange gravy.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time60 mins
Total Time80 mins
Servings6
Yield6 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 525 kcalCalories
- 29 gFat
- 9 gSaturated Fat
- 28 gCarbs
- 7 gFiber
- 8 gSugar
- 36 gProtein
- 780 mgSodium
- 920 mgPotassium
- 155 mgCalcium
- 5.5 mgIron
- 32 mgVitamin C
- 185 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the stew base
- 1.5 cups (about 300 g) canned palm nut concentrate (or pulp)
- 4 cups hot water, divided
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
- 1 large red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, pierced (seeds in for heat)
For the proteins
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless beef stew meat, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 1 lb (450 g) smoked mackerel or smoked snapper fillets, skin on
- 1 tablespoon Maggi or bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups cold water, for parboiling the beef
For the vegetables and finishing
- 1 medium globe eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 12 fresh okra pods, tops trimmed, left whole
- 6 oz (170 g) cremini or oyster mushrooms, torn
- 1 small red onion, finely sliced
- 3 tablespoons palm oil (optional, for finishing)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil or ntomme leaves, torn
Directions
- Combine beef cubes with 2 cups cold water, half the onion, the salt, and pepper in a saucepan; bring to a boil, skim, then simmer covered for 35 minutes until the beef is nearly tender. Reserve the broth.
- While the beef cooks, combine the tomatoes, bell pepper, quartered onion, garlic, ginger, and Scotch bonnet in a blender with 1/2 cup of hot water; puree into a smooth, bright-red sauce.
- Pour the puree into a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat, add the palm nut concentrate and remaining 3.5 cups hot water, and stir well. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 12 minutes to thicken and deepen the color.
- Add the parboiled beef with its broth and the smoked fish to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, pressing the fish gently against the side to begin breaking it apart and thicken the gravy.
- Stir in the eggplant and mushrooms, cover partially, and cook for 8 minutes until the eggplant is fork-tender. Add the okra and cook 5 minutes more; okra should be tender but still hold shape.
- Remove and discard the Scotch bonnet. Break the smoked fish into large flakes with a wooden spoon, taste, and adjust salt and pepper. Finish with a drizzle of palm oil for gloss and a handful of torn basil.
- Ladle hot stew into bowls with the broth pooling around visible pieces of fish and vegetables, and serve immediately alongside fufu, attiéké, or boiled green plantain.
Cook’s Notes
- If you cannot find palm nut concentrate, substitute a 1:1 mix of red palm oil and smooth peanut butter, thinned with extra broth, for a similar nutty color and body.
- Always taste the smoked fish first; if it is very salty, briefly soak the fillets in warm water for 10 minutes and pat dry before adding.
- Traditional sauce graine is meant to be thick enough to coat boiled plantains; if it loosens too much, simmer uncovered a few extra minutes to reduce.
- For a deeper, more aromatic gravy, dry-roast the smoked fish skin-side down in a hot pan for 2 minutes before adding it to the stew.
- Make it ahead by 1 day; the stew tastes richer the next morning after the palm fruit has fully infused the broth.
