Senegalese soupou kandja, also known as kandia soup or okra sauce, is a great classic of Senegalese cuisine. It is a rich and fragrant stew, prepared with okra, red palm oil, fish, seafood, guedj, dried shrimp, nététou and herbs.
This dish is instantly recognizable by its texture: okra naturally thickens the sauce and gives it that smooth, slightly gooey side that is highly sought after in many West African cuisines. Red palm oil brings the colour, roundness and deep taste that make the identity of the soupou kandja.
In this marine version, we find sea bream, shrimp, crab, salted dried fish and dried shrimp. All simmered with okra, diakhato, garlic, onion, chili, tomato paste and netetou. Served with white rice, the soupou kandja becomes a complete, generous and very convivial dish.
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What is soupou kandja?
Soupou kandja is a Senegalese okra sauce, served with white rice. Depending on the family and the region, you can put fresh fish, smoked or dried fish, seafood, crab, meat, dried shrimp, nététou, vegetables and red palm oil.
The word “kandja” refers to okra in Wolof. So it’s literally an okra soup or sauce. The term “soupou” can be confusing in English: it is not a light soup to drink, but rather a thick sauce, served with rice.
The texture of the soupou kandja is essential. Okra releases a natural mucilage during cooking, which thickens the sauce without flour, starch or roux. This texture, sometimes surprising when you don’t know okra, is part of the pleasure of the dish.
Soupou kandja, kandia soup or okra sauce?
There are several names to talk about this dish: soupou kandja, soupou kandia, kandia soup, kandja soup, supukanj or okra sauce. Spellings vary according to transcriptions, regions and family habits.
The idea remains the same: a rich and fragrant okra sauce, usually served with white rice. In some versions, the sauce is very marine, with fish, crab and shrimp. In others, smoked meat or fish is added.
Why is okra essential?
Okra is the central ingredient of the soupou kandja. Once cut into rounds and cooked in the sauce, it gives a thick, shiny and slightly stringy texture. It is this texture that distinguishes the dish from a simple fish stew.
To make a successful sauce, you need to use fresh or frozen good quality okra. Okra that is too large can be fibrous and drier. Small, tender okra often give a better texture.
In this recipe, okra is cut into rounds, washed, and then added to the sauce after the fish and seafood are first cooked. They then cook until they partially melt in the broth and thicken the whole.
The role of red palm oil
Red palm oil is one of the markers of soupou kandja. It gives the dish its warm, orange colour and a deep flavour, very different from a neutral oil. It also brings a rounder and more enveloping texture to the sauce.
It should not be confused with the very neutral refined palm oil: here, we are talking about a red, fragrant oil, used as a taste ingredient.
If you’ve never cooked with red palm oil, start with a moderate amount. The taste is powerful. In this recipe, 10 cl makes for a well-marked sauce, but you can reduce slightly if you want a milder version.
Guedj, netetou and dried shrimp: the ingredients that give flavor
The soupou kandja rely on a very fragrant base. Guedj, dried and salted fish, brings an intense marine flavor. The dried shrimp enhances the taste of the broth and gives depth to the sauce. Netetou, also called soumbala in other West African countries, brings a fermented, powerful and very umami note.
These ingredients may seem secondary, but they change everything. Without them, the sauce will be sweeter, simpler, shallower. With them, it takes on that very characteristic taste of simmered West African sauces.
If you can’t find guedj, you can use another dried or smoked fish. If you can’t find nététou, look for powdered or grainy soumbala in African grocery stores.
What is ñaari cin?
Soupou kandja belongs to the family of Senegalese dishes where the sauce and rice are cooked separately. In Wolof, it is often referred to as “ñaari cin”, literally “two pots”.
This means that the rice is not cooked in the sauce, unlike other dishes like thieboudienne or rice cooked in one pot. Here, the okra, fish and seafood sauce is prepared on one side, and the accompanying white rice on the other.
How to make the texture of soupou kandja?
The secret is to let the okra cook enough to thicken the sauce, without burning it or reducing it too quickly too much. Cooking over a simmering heat allows you to obtain a smooth and homogeneous texture.
You should also avoid stirring too violently after adding the flaked fish and seafood, to avoid breaking everything. The fish should flavor the sauce, but it should still be present in the dish.
The sauce should be thick, coating, but not dry. If it reduces too much, add a little hot water. If it is too liquid, simmer for a few more minutes before adding the palm oil at the end of cooking.
What to serve the soupou kandja with?
Soupou kandja is traditionally served with white rice. It’s the simplest and most effective side dish, as it absorbs the okra sauce perfectly and balances out the richness of the palm oil.
It can also be served with broken rice, fragrant rice, or a local cereal according to custom. The most important thing is to have a neutral enough base to let the sauce express itself.
The dish is served hot, in a large family dish or on a plate, with a little spice on the side for those who like more spicy sauces.
Senegalese soupou kandja recipe
Ingredients for 4 people
- 1 sea bream
- 200 g shrimp
- 1 crab
- 1 tablespoon of nététou or soumbala
- 50 g dried prawns
- 1 piece of guedj, dried and salted fish
- 500 g okra, sliced and washed
- 1 diakhato, African bitter eggplant
- 1 onion, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 mixed green chillies
- 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 spring onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste diluted in a glass of water
- 10 cl red palm oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 stock cube, optional
- White rice, for serving
Preparation
In a large stockpot, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Add the dried shrimp, guedj, sea bream, fresh shrimp, crab and diakhato.
Cook until the fish and seafood are cooked. Carefully remove the sea bream, shrimp and crab. Peel the prawns, scoop out the meat from the crab if necessary, then crumble the sea bream, carefully removing the bones.
In the broth, add the okra cut into slices and the diluted tomato paste. Cook for 15 minutes over a simmering heat, until the okra begins to thicken the sauce.
Add the grated onion, grated garlic, blended green chillies, nététou, salt, pepper and stock cube if using. Stir and continue cooking for about 30 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Return the peeled prawns, the flaked sea bream and the crab back to the pot. Add the whole Scotch bonnet pepper and chopped spring onion.
Bring to a simmer again, then add the red palm oil. Mix gently so as not to break the fish too much. Reduce for another ten minutes, until you get a thick, shiny and well-flavored sauce.
Remove the whole chilli if you don’t want too strong a sauce.
Serve hot with white rice.
Tips for a successful soupou kandja
Use tender okra, not too large, for a more pleasant sauce.
Wash the okra before cutting if possible. Once cut, they quickly become gooey, which is normal and sought after in this recipe.
The guedj and dried shrimps are very salty and fragrant. Taste the sauce before adding too much salt.
The Scotch bonnet pepper can be left whole to flavor without spicing too much. If you pierce or blend it, the sauce will be much stronger.
Red palm oil is added at the end of cooking to keep its taste and color.
Can we adapt soupou kandja?
Yes. The soupou kandja varies greatly from family to family. You can put only fish, add crab, shrimp, smoked fish, meat or even prepare a simpler version with less seafood.
For a more accessible version, use firm white fish, shrimp, some smoked fish, and frozen okra. The result will be less complex than with guedj, crab and dried shrimp, but the spirit of the dish will remain there.
If you can’t find a diakhato, you can simply omit it. It brings a slight bitterness, but it is not essential for a homemade version.
Senegalese Soupou Kandja – Okra Seafood Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 sea bream
- 200 g shrimp
- 1 crab
- 1 tbsp Nététou or soumbala
- 50 g dried shrimp
- 1 Piece of Gejj Dried and salted fish
- 500 g okra, cut into slices and washed with plenty of water
- 1 Diakhato bitter eggplant
- 1 grated onion
- 3 grated garlic cloves
- 2 Blended green chillies
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 chopped spring onion
- 2 tbsp tomato paste diluted in a glass of water
- 10 cl palm oil
- Salt pepper, stock cube
Preparation
- In a large stockpot, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Add the dried shrimp, gejj, fish, shrimp, crab and diakhato. Once cooked, remove the fish, crab and shrimp. Peel the shrimp and flake the fish.
- Add the okra and tomato paste and cook for 15 minutes over a simmering heat. Add the onions, garlic, green peppers, nététou, salt, pepper, stock cube and cook for another 30 minutes.
- Add the peeled prawns, flaked fish, crab, chilli and spring onion. Bring to the boil, add the palm oil and stir. Reduce the sauce for about ten minutes.
- Enjoy on its own or with white rice.
Notes
Guedj, dried shrimp and nététou are very fragrant: taste before adding too much salt.
The Scottish bonnet pepper can be left whole to flavor the sauce without making it too hot.
Red palm oil gives the characteristic colour and taste of the dish. You can reduce the amount slightly for a milder version.
Always serve with white rice or broken rice.
FAQ
What is soupou kandja?
Soupou kandja is a Senegalese okra sauce, often made with fish, seafood, red palm oil, guedj, dried shrimp, and netetou. It is usually served with white rice.
What is the difference between soupou kandja and kandia soup?
It is the same dish. The differences come mainly from variations in spelling and transcription: soupou kandja, soupou kandia, soup kandia, soup kandja or supukanj.
Why is soupou kandja gooey?
The texture comes from okra. As it cooks, it releases a natural substance that thickens the sauce and gives it a slightly stringy texture. This is a normal feature of the dish.
Can you make soupou kandja without palm oil?
You can, but the taste will be different. Red palm oil provides a very characteristic colour, texture and fragrance. For a lighter version, reduce the amount rather than remove it completely.
What to replace the guedj with?
The guedj can be replaced by another dried, salted or smoked fish. If not, use a little smoked fish and adjust the seasoning.
Can you use frozen okra?
Yes. Frozen okra works great in soupou kandja. Add them directly to the sauce and cook until they thicken the broth.
What to serve the soupou kandja with?
Soupou kandja is served with white rice or broken rice. The rice absorbs the okra sauce and balances the richness of the palm oil and seafood.
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