Caldo de Chabéu (Bissau-Guinean Palm Fruit Stew with Fish)
Local name: Caldo de chabéu
In short: Fish simmered in a red palm fruit broth with small eggplants, cassava and hot chili, spooned over steamed white rice. It takes about 1 h in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 h
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 650 kcal
Caldo de chabéu is a stew built on the fruit of the wild oil palm. In Guinea-Bissau the fruit is boiled, pounded and sieved into a thick red broth, then cooked with fish, eggplant, cassava and chili. It is served with rice and has a rich, earthy flavor. Canned palm nut pulp makes this easy to cook outside West Africa, and the result is close to the real thing.
Instructions
- Season the fish with 1/2 tsp of the salt and set it aside.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, until soft, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
- Add the water, palm nut pulp, cassava, eggplants, whole chili and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then partly cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the cassava is almost tender.
- Lay the fish on top of the stew. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, until opaque and flaking (63°C/145°F).
- Taste and adjust the salt. Burst the chili with a spoon if you want a hotter broth.
- Serve in deep bowls over rice, with plenty of the red broth.
Tips
- Frozen peeled cassava saves a lot of work. If you cannot find it, use yam or firm potatoes, and reduce the simmering time by 5 minutes.
- Palm nut pulp can taste bitter. A squeeze of lime at the end brightens the broth without hiding the flavor.
Questions and answers
What is chabéu?
It is the fruit of the wild oil palm. The reddish pulp is pounded and strained into a thick sauce that is used in stews before palm oil is made.
Can I use chicken instead of fish?
Yes, chicken is a common choice too. Simmer bone-in pieces in the broth for 40 minutes before serving, and keep the cassava and eggplants for the last 20 minutes.
Where do I find small eggplants?
Look for Thai or African eggplants in Asian and African grocery stores. If you only find the large kind, cut them into 3 cm (1 inch) chunks.
How long does it take to make Caldo de Chabéu (Bissau-Guinean Palm Fruit Stew with Fish)?
About 1 h in total: 20 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Caldo de Chabéu (Bissau-Guinean Palm Fruit Stew with Fish)?
About 650 kcal per serving, with 42 g of protein, 80 g of carbohydrates and 16 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 650 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 42 g |
| Carbohydrates | 80 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 700 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
