Gambia | Stew

Plasas

Name: Plasas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Gambia, West Africa
Ingredients: 700 g spinach or cassava leaves, finely chopped; 250 g smoked fish, flaked and deboned; ½ cup peanut butter or ground peanuts; ¼ cup palm oil; 1 large onion, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 whole scotch bonnet, left whole or minced; 3 cups water or light stock; salt and black pepper, to taste

Gambian leafy stew with spinach or cassava leaves, peanut, palm oil, smoked fish, and chili.

Country

Gambia

Region

West Africa

Time

95 min

Serves

Level

medium

Start cooking Explore Gambia recipes

01 / Get ready

Everything you need

Tap each ingredient as you gather it. Illustrations are visual guides; follow the ingredient names and quantities.

Servings 6

Scale the dish before you shop, then use the checklist while you cook.

Jump to method My cookbook

Ingredients

For 6 servings

Stew

Greens

700 g spinach or cassava leaves, finely chopped

Protein

250 g smoked fish, flaked and deboned

Sauce

½ cup peanut butter or ground peanuts ¼ cup palm oil

Aromatics

1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 whole scotch bonnet, left whole or minced

Liquid

3 cups water or light stock

Finishing

salt and black pepper, to taste

A few kitchen essentials

Suggested from the recipe method. Use equivalent equipment you have.

Lidded pot

Wooden spoon

02 / Let’s cook

One step at a time

Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.

Back to Gambia

4 steps 20 min prep 75 min cook (check method) 95 min total medium

Soften aromatics

Cook onion, garlic, and pepper in palm oil until fragrant.

base 08:00

Cook the greens

Add greens and stock, then simmer until tender and reduced.

greens 35:00

Add peanut and fish

Stir in peanut butter and smoked fish. Simmer until thick and rich.

stew 25:00

Serve

Adjust seasoning and serve hot over rice or with fufu.

finish 03:00

Cassava leaves, spinach, bitter leaves, fish, chicken, beef, or vegetarian peanut versions all appear across households.

Cooking notes, photos & serving ideas

Recipe context

More about this dish

Serving ideas, regional context, and cooking cues for when you want more detail.

When to cook it

Best for rice plates, family lunch, and greens-heavy dinners.. Plan on a medium cook. Allow about 95 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

White rice, fufu, boiled cassava, or plantain.

Regional lane

Gambia national table. A structured Gambia dish in the AfroKitchen archive.

Chef watch-outs

Adding too much liquid after the rice goes in.
Stirring too often once the grains should be steaming.
Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.

How you know it is ready

The grains should be tender but still distinct, with steam carrying the seasoning upward.
The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
Greens should be cooked through but still look alive and glossy.

Recipe photos

See the dish before you cook

Take a closer look at the dish and its serving ideas.

Plasas recipe from Gambia — Plasas finished dish

Chef board

Build the table around Plasas

White rice, fufu, boiled cassava, or plantain.

Best route from here

Gambia national table

Collections to keep cooking

Explore Gambia recipes

Explore more recipes