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South Sudanese

Kajaik

Non-vegetarian

A home-style South Sudanese stew of dried or smoked fish simmered with onion, tomato and okra and thickened with peanut paste. Eaten with asida or kisra.

Kajaik is a South Sudanese stew, ready in about 55 minutes and made with smoked fish and peanut butter. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
433

Plus 30 minutes soaking the dried fish.

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Soak the dried fish (opens in a new tab) in warm water for 30 minutes, then drain, remove skin and bones and break into chunks.

    • 5 min

  2. Step 2

    Fry the onions (opens in a new tab) in the oil until golden, add the garlic (opens in a new tab), chilli, tomatoes (opens in a new tab) and tomato paste (opens in a new tab) and cook to a thick sauce.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Whisk the peanut butter (opens in a new tab) into the water and add to the pot with the fish, okra (opens in a new tab) and salt.

    • 3 min
    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Simmer gently, stirring carefully so the fish stays in pieces, until thick and the okra (opens in a new tab) is tender.

    • 25 min
    • low heat

About this dish

Origin
South Sudan · Commonly attributedFish from the Nile and the Sudd wetlands is widely dried for stews; recipes vary from community to community.More food from South Sudan
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Stews & braises · Main courses
Cooking method
Stewed, Simmered
Taste
smoky, nutty, savoury, spicy (chilli heat)
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Smoked fish · Peanut butter · Onion · Tomato · Tomato paste · Garlic
Techniques
Simmering · Stewing

Allergens

  • Contains: Fishfrom smoked fish
  • Contains: Peanutsfrom peanut butter

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

433 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 435 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 20%
  • Carbohydrate 13%
  • Fat 66%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy433 kcal100 kcal
Protein22.6 g5.2 g
Carbohydrate15 g3.4 g
Net carbohydrate11.7 g2.7 g
Sugars7.4 g1.7 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre3.3 g0.8 g
Fat32.7 g7.5 g
Saturated fat4.6 g1.1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol32 mg7 mg
Sodium934 mg215 mg
Salt equivalent2.3 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
756 mg
Calcium
80 mg
Iron
1.4 mg
Magnesium
72 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
325 µg
Vitamin C
20 mg
Vitamin D
13.3 µg
Vitamin B12
4.3 µg
Folate (DFE)
44 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: okra.
  • Smoked fish: Smoked cisco (FDC 171954) used as a stand-in for hot-smoked African fish such as catfish, mackerel or bonga.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Taste the soaked fish before salting the stew — dried fish varies greatly in saltiness.

Common mistakes

  • Stirring vigorously after the fish goes in; it breaks into shreds.

Serve with

  • Serve with asida, kisra or boiled cassava.

Food safety

  • Smoked and dried fish should smell clean and smoky, never sour; keep opened packs refrigerated.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently with a splash of water.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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