Sauce Longue (Chadian Long Okra Sauce)

Ingredients

• 400g fresh okra, finely sliced + 100g grated for body
• 100g dried/smoked fish, soaked, deboned and flaked
• 2 tbsp dried/smoked shrimp, ground (optional)
• 2 tomatoes, blended
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup (60ml) red palm oil (or peanut oil)
• 1–2 fresh chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp ground dried pepper
• 1 Maggi cube, salt to taste
• 800ml water or fish stock
• Boule de mil, to serve

Method

1. 1

   Soak the smoked fish in hot water 15 minutes, drain, debone and flake.

2. 2

   Heat the palm oil and sweat the onion 5 minutes until soft.

3. 3

   Add the blended tomato, chili, ground pepper and ground dried shrimp and cook 5–7 minutes until the oil starts to separate.

4. 4

   Pour in the water, add the smoked fish and Maggi and simmer 10 minutes so the flavours marry.

5. 5

   Stir in the grated then sliced okra. Simmer uncovered on medium-low 20 minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce is glossy and clearly 'draws' (forms long ropey strands when lifted with the spoon).

6. 6

   Taste, adjust salt and heat. Serve very hot in a wide bowl next to a boule de mil — pinch off a piece of millet, dip and slurp.