Ghana Palava Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup palm oil

2 to 4 fresh red chiles, minced, optional

1/2 pound (250g) diced cooked meat (not chicken), and/or 1/2 pound (250g) fish (such as snapper or pompano)

3 bunches fresh spinach, chopped, or 1-1/2 pounds (750g) frozen chopped spinach

4 yellow onions, minced

Salt

1/4 pound (125 g) smoked herring, boneless, optional

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, ground in a spice or coffee grinder

4 large tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and mashed

Freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup dried shrimp

Cooking Instructions:

Heat the oil in a medium pan and fry the onions until golden. Add the tomatoes and the chiles, and season with pepper. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes on low heat, stirring regularly (not continuously). Season with salt and add the diced meat and/or fish. Stir in the smoked herring and the dried shrimp. Simmer on very low heat, stirring regularly to prevent burning. Add the spinach to the meat mixture. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the spinach is soft and cooked. Stir regularly, taking care not to break up the fish too much. Add the pumpkin seeds and stir them into the sauce. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes on low heat, or until the sauce is thick and green. It will be speckled white with the ground pumpkin seeds.

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