Soupou Kandia

Ingredients

• 800g lamb shoulder, cut into chunks
• 500g fresh okra
• 150ml red palm oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 60g guedj (fermented dried fish)
• 20g yeet (fermented sea snail)
• 2 tbsp nététou (fermented locust beans)
• 2 scotch bonnet peppers
• 400g smoked or fresh fish steaks
• 2 stock cubes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1.2 litres water
• 400g long-grain white rice

Before you cook

• Cut the lamb shoulder into 4cm chunks.
• Top the okra and grate it coarsely, or slice it very finely.
• Dice the onions and crush the garlic.
• Rinse the guedj and yeet under cold water to take the edge off their salt.
• Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.

Steps

1. Put the lamb in a large pot with the onions, garlic, one stock cube and 1.2 litres of water.
2. Bring it to the boil and skim the surface clean.
3. Cover the pot and simmer for 45 minutes until the lamb is tender.
4. Add the rinsed guedj, the yeet and the nététou.
5. Drop in the whole scotch bonnets and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Stir the grated okra into the broth a handful at a time.
7. Cook the okra for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the stew turns thick and ropy.
8. Pour in the palm oil in a steady stream and stir it through.
9. Lay the fish steaks on top and simmer gently for 10 minutes without stirring.
10. Season with the second stock cube and the salt.
11. Cook the rice in salted boiling water for 12 minutes, then drain it.
12. Ladle the soupou kandia over the rice and put the softened scotch bonnets on the side for anyone brave enough.