Dried anchovies with charred peppers sauce

Dried anchovies with charred peppers sauce is for those who chose to dare in the kitchen. dried anchovies are common in Africa and have a long shelf life since they are dried. In Congo, dried anchovies also called Ndakala are usually eaten with fufu or chikwanga. They are full of proteins and light. 

What is a charred sauce?

A charred sauce is a simple yet flavorful sauce made by charring onions, peppers and tomatoes on a hot pan before adding the rest of ingredients. Charred sauce has a distinctive taste and gives a smooth and sweet flavor to the dish.  Charred vegetables are healthier than the raw versions and also give a great taste to the dishes. Guajillo peppers, chile ancho peppers, onions, garlic and tomatoes are used to give the sauce its red color. This is the magic of applying heat to foods- it gives a caramelized taste to foods. I have added cilantro to bring some freshness to the sauce.

What are anchovies?

Anchovies are small fish of the same family as sardines. They have a strong fishy smell which some people like and others do not. They taste similar to salmon which is considered by some as the strongest tasting fish in the world. dried anchovies have a lot of protein which is explained as the reason why they can last long without spoiling. Their strong flavor that goes well with dried peppers, onions and tomatoes.

Where do you find anchovies?

You can buy anchovies at any asian or african market. They are quite popular in Asia and africa. Although most recipes in Africa are made with dried anchovies. You might also check your local fish market.

Preparation

Fair warning- Any dry food has a very strong smell. Good ventilation and lighting a candle would help mitigate the smell.

To prepare the dried anchovies, you can either remove the heads or keep them. I prefer to keep them. Then, soak them in boiled water for at least 1 hour to rehydrate them. After that, wash them thoroughly with cold water and drain them. Take your time when washing them since they tend to have lots of debris in them.

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How to make dried anchovies with charred peppers sauce

Put the washed anchovies in a pan with a little bit of water.

Turn on the stove to medium high heat and start cooking the anchovies.

Add the salt and stir for 3 min.

Add the oil and let it cook for 7-10 min while stirring occasionally.

They are ready when they get crunchy but not too dried.

Set them aside.

Charred peppers sauce:

Heat the grilling pan on medium high heat.

Put the onions, garlic, tomatoes, peppers on the grilling pan.

Remove the peppers after a minute or so and soak them in hot water.

Make sure the vegetables are charred on both sides.

Remove the loose skin from the peppers.

Put all the veggies with cilantro in the blender and pulse a couple times to blend everything.

Don’t blend it too much, so that you keep some texture.

Season to taste.

To plate: on a plate, put the charred sauce first and then your dried anchovies on top.

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