Superkanja

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Superkanja may be Gambia's super soup, but the name is probably a combination of Portuguese and West African words. Sopa, the Portuguese word for soup; like palaver a word left over from the early days of Portuguese exploration of the African coast. Kanja, evidently a West African word for okra. (?) Superkanja is also called supa kanja, supakanja and kanjadaa.

Ingredients:

• one cup palm oil or peanut oil (or any oil)
• one pound stew meat (beef or similar), cut into cubes
• one onion, peeled and chopped
• one sweet red pepper, chopped (optional)
• one hot chile pepper (left out, or left whole and removed at serving for a mild dish, or chopped for a spicy hot dish)
• five to ten cups water
• one smoked or dried fish, cleaned, rinsed in water, and bones removed, broken into bite-sized pieces
• one fresh fish, cut into bite-sized pieces (optional)
• one to two pounds of greens (spinach, collards, kale, turnip greens, okra leaves, sweet potato leaves), stems removed, cleaned, washed, and shredded
• twenty to thirty okra, ends removed and cut into pieces
• one or two Maggi® cubes or Maggi® sauce; or chicken or beef bouillon cubes
• salt, red pepper (to taste)

Directions:

• Heat about a quarter of the oil in a large pot. Fry the meat until browned. Add the onion and pepper and fry for another minute or two.
• Add all remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for one to two hours, until all is tender.
• When soup has reduced to your liking, stir in additional palm oil (if desired) and simmer for another ten to twenty minutes.
• Serve with plain boiled Rice.