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Gambian · Senegalese · West African

Superkanja

Non-vegetarian

A thick, silky okra stew cooked in palm oil with fish, beef and a little smoked fish, ladled over white rice. Loved in the Gambia and Senegal.

Superkanja is a Gambian stew, ready in about 1 hour 20 minutes and made with okra and red palm oil. It serves 5 and is rated easy to cook.

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No licensed photograph of this dish yet.

Prep
20 min
Cook
1 h
Total
1 h 20 min
Serves
5
Level
Easy
Calories
313

Ingredients

5 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Simmer the beef (if using) with half the onion (opens in a new tab), the pepper (opens in a new tab), 1 tsp salt and the water for 30 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add the okra (opens in a new tab) and smoked fish and simmer, whisking now and then, until the okra breaks down into a slippery sauce, 10 minutes.

    • 10 min
    • medium-low heat
    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the palm oil (opens in a new tab), remaining onion (opens in a new tab), whole chilli and fish and simmer gently 12 minutes. Add the shrimp (opens in a new tab) for the last 3 minutes and adjust the salt.

    • 12 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Cook fish and shrimp until opaque.

  4. Step 4

    Serve ladled over rice.

      A finished dish being plated
      How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

    About this dish

    Origin
    Not attributed to one place · Commonly attributedShared by the Gambia (as superkanja) and Senegal (as soupou kandja).Also popular in The Gambia, Senegal
    Dish
    Lunch · Dinner · Stews & braises · Soups · Main courses
    Cooking method
    Stewed, Simmered
    Taste
    savoury, umami, rich, spicy (chilli heat)
    Diet
    No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
    All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
    Without the optional extras: Pescatarian, Whole-food focused, Paleo-style, Beef-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Cook more with
    Okra · Red palm oil · White fish fillet · Mackerel · Onion · Fresh red chilli
    Techniques
    Simmering · Stewing

    Allergens

    • Contains: Fishfrom white fish fillet, mackerel
    • Contains, can be adapted: Crustaceansfrom prawns / shrimp

    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

    313 kcal per serving

    Calculated

    1 serving ≈ 465 g · recipe makes 5

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 24%
    • Carbohydrate 15%
    • Fat 61%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy313 kcal67 kcal
    Protein19.2 g4.1 g
    Carbohydrate11.8 g2.5 g
    Net carbohydrate7.8 g1.7 g
    Sugars3.4 g0.7 g
    Added sugars0 g0 g
    Fibre4 g0.9 g
    Fat21.6 g4.6 g
    Saturated fat9.7 g2.1 g
    Trans fat——
    Cholesterol57 mg12 mg
    Sodium901 mg193 mg
    Salt equivalent2.3 g0.5 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    662 mg
    Calcium
    125 mg
    Iron
    1.2 mg
    Magnesium
    98 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    60 µg
    Vitamin C
    28 mg
    Vitamin D
    3.6 µg
    Vitamin B12
    3.2 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    78 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: beef chuck, prawns / shrimp, long-grain white rice.
    • “—” 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

    • Superkanja should be thick and stretchy; whisking the okra helps it break down evenly.

    Common mistakes

    • Overcooking the fish — add it late and simmer gently so the pieces stay whole.

    Food safety

    • Cook fish and shrimp until opaque throughout; refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 2 days.

    Storage

    • Refrigerate up to 2 days.

    Reheating

    • Reheat gently until piping hot.

    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, 4

    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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