Smoked Fish Stew

Prep: 50 mins

Cook: 1 hour

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4 Servings

Whilst the U.K. doesn’t have quite the same obsessive rhapsody over pumpkins as our U.S. cousins, as fall deepens and Halloween (my birthday!) approaches so does the pumpkin-cooking frenzy — soups, stews, and casseroles and simply roasted. Since marrying an American and eavesdropping on Thanksgiving for the past five years, I have become quite adept at Ghana-fying much of my in-laws’ celebration dinner — suya-roasted pumpkin veloute is a hit alongside gari crumb on mac and cheese, and my kelewele replaces pumpkin spice wherever I can shake it, including sweet potatoes and butternut squash muffins.

Ingredients

1 small white onion
1 (1-inch) piece ginger
7 ounces whole canned tomatoes, or 3 Roma or plum tomatoes
1 jarred roasted red bell pepper
1/2 to 1 small red Scotch bonnet chile, or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper for a milder heat
2 cloves garlic (optional)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon extra-hot Madras curry powder
1/2 teaspoon extra-hot chili powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 smoked, dried fish, such as catfish and barracuda (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
1 medium yellow onion
1 clove garlic
1 (2-inch) piece ginger
1 Scotch bonnet pepper
1 medium yam (about 7 ounces)
1 pound butternut squash
1 large carrot (about 5 ounces)
1/2 cup sustainable red palm oil or peanut oil
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock or broth
2 1/4 cups water, plus more for soaking the fish
3 to 6 whole kpakpo shito (cherry) chilies, or 1 habanero pepper (optional)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
Cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the following, adding each to a blender as you complete it: Peel and coarsely chop 1 small white onion. Peel 1 (1-inch) piece ginger (no need to peel if using organic ginger) and grate on the large holes of a box grater (about 1 tablespoon). Coarsely chop 7 ounces canned tomatoes or 3 Roma tomatoes, 1 roasted red bell pepper, 1/2 to 1 small red Scotch bonnet chile (or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper for a milder heat), and 2 garlic cloves if desired.
Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon extra-hot Madras curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon extra-hot chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Blend together until you have a fairly smooth paste.
Wash 2 smoked fish thoroughly and place in a large heatproof bowl. Add enough just-boiled water to completely cover and let sit while you prepare the aromatics and vegetables.
Prepare the following, adding each to the same small bowl as you complete it: Dice 1 medium yellow onion. Mince 1 garlic clove. Peel 1 (2-inch) piece ginger (no need to peel if using organic ginger) and grate on the large holes of a box grater (about 2 tablespoons).
Pierce 1 Scotch bonnet pepper with the tip of a knife. Peel and cut 1 medium yam into 1-inch cubes. Rinse in cold water and set aside to drain. Peel and cut 1 pound butternut squash into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups). Peel and cut 1 large carrot crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
Drain the fish. Place on a cutting board and remove and discard the head, fins, and bones. Coarsely chop the meat into bite-sized pieces (about 4 cups).
Heat 1/2 cup palm or peanut oil in a large saucepan or small pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion mixture and sauté, stirring often, starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the smoked fish and stir to combine. Add all of the chalé sauce and the Scotch bonnet and stir to combine. Cover and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock or broth simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more. Add the yam, butternut squash, 2 1/4 cups water, 3 to 6 kpakpo shito chilies or 1 habanero, if using, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Add the carrot and simmer until the carrot is tender, about 10 minutes more. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Serve with cooked rice.