Daraba (Chadian Okra and Peanut Stew)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Total time: 55 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Country of Origin

Chad

Description

Daraba is one of the most important everyday dishes of Chad: a thick, silky stew of okra and groundnut paste with smoked fish and dried meat, cooked until the okra breaks down completely and gives the sauce its characteristic viscous, silky texture. Across the diverse ethnic groups of Chad, daraba appears in variations throughout the country, but the union of okra and peanut is the constant. It is eaten with millet or sorghum porridge (fura or boule), the staple starch of the Sahel, and it sustains millions of Chadians through hot, dry days.

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Daraba is served in a deep bowl or clay pot alongside a firm millet or sorghum porridge. It is eaten communally, with diners using balls of porridge to scoop the stew. The silky, slightly viscous quality of the okra base makes it ideal for this style of eating — it clings to the porridge and slides smoothly with each scoop.

Ingredients

• 300g fresh okra (or frozen), trimmed and roughly chopped

• 3 tbsp smooth natural peanut butter

• 80g dried smoked fish (such as stockfish or dried catfish), soaked and flaked

• 50g dried meat (jerky), roughly chopped (or substitute 100g fresh beef)

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Scotch bonnet or dried chili, to taste

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or palm oil

• 500ml water

• 1 tsp salt, or to taste

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Prepare the Dried Fish: If using stockfish or dried catfish, soak in warm water for 20 minutes to rehydrate. Drain, pick out all bones, and flake into rough pieces.

2. Start the Base: In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and chili and cook for 2 more minutes.

3. Add Proteins: Add the flaked dried fish and dried meat to the pot. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add Okra: Add the chopped okra and stir everything together. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the okra begins to soften.

5. Add Peanut Base: Dissolve the peanut butter in 500ml of water, stirring until smooth. Pour this into the pot. Season with salt. Bring to a simmer.

6. Simmer Until Silky: Cook over medium-low heat for 20–25 minutes, stirring regularly, until the okra has mostly broken down and the sauce is thick and glossy. The texture should coat the back of a spoon generously.

7. Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot alongside millet porridge, sorghum boule, or white rice.

Optional

Tomato Addition: Add 2 blended tomatoes to the pot along with the onion for a slightly more acidic, tomatoey version popular in urban N'Djamena.

Cooking Tips

Chopping the okra finely before cooking helps it break down faster and results in a thicker sauce. If you prefer a less viscous texture, use only half the amount of okra and add 100g of leafy greens like spinach for the remainder. Dried fish gives the sauce an irreplaceable depth — do not substitute with fresh fish, which will not produce the same flavor. If stockfish is unavailable, any heavily smoked dried fish works well.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving, based on 4 servings)

Calories: ~340 kcal

Total Fat: 18g

Saturated Fat: 4g

Cholesterol: 35mg

Sodium: 520mg

Total Carbohydrates: 22g

Dietary Fiber: 6g

Sugars: 5g

Protein: 24g