Recipe
🥙 LUNCH
Kajaik
Fresh Nile fish simmered in a light tomato and onion stew, a staple lunch along South Sudan's rivers.
South Sudanese · easy · serves 4
prep 15 min · cook 30 min
~501 cal · 46g protein · 24g carbs · 24g fat · 10g fiber · 8g sugars · 4g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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Kajaik is a traditional fish stew of South Sudan, born on the banks of the White Nile and its tributaries, where fishing has sustained communities for generations. It can be made with fresh or sun-dried fish, the latter giving a deeper, more concentrated flavor when the fresh catch is scarce.
The fish is simmered in a straightforward, satisfying base of onion, tomato, and a little oil, sometimes thickened with a spoon of peanut paste or , and seasoned simply so the flavor of the river fish comes through. Served with , the thin flatbread, or with asida porridge, kajaik is honest, everyday food that speaks to South Sudan's deep connection to its rivers.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally gluten-, dairy-, egg- and pork-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 4
1.5 lb fresh or dried Nile fish, in pieces
2 onions, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup , sliced into rounds
2 cups leafy greens (spinach or kale)
2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) paste
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 green chilies
1 lemon
to taste salt and black pepper
3 tbsp oil
for 4 ( flatbread) or asida, to serve
Instructions
1
If using dried or smoked fish, soak it in warm water for about 30 minutes to soften, then drain. Fresh fish is cut into large chunks and tossed with lemon juice, salt and pepper while you build the stew.
✎ Chef’s note
Sun-dried or fire-smoked fish is the traditional base along the White Nile, and it is what gives kajaik its smoky depth. If you are using fresh fish, a teaspoon of smoked paprika stands in for that.
2
Soften the onion, garlic, and chilies in the oil, add the smoked paprika and the tomatoes, and cook to a pulp, then stir in the okra for a few minutes.
3
Loosen the groundnut paste with a little water, stir it in, then add water or fish stock and bring to a simmer before lowering in the fish.
✎ Chef’s note
Add fresh fish toward the end so it just cooks through and does not fall apart; dried or smoked fish can go in earlier and wants longer.
4
Simmer gently until the fish is cooked and the stew has thickened, then fold in the greens and cook 5 minutes more until they wilt.
5
Season with salt and pepper, finish with a squeeze of lemon, and serve with kisra or asida.
South Sudanese river cooking.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Juba. Juba is the capital of the world's youngest nation, eating asida, a soft sorghum dough, with bean and meat stews poured over it. South Sudanese cooking uses peanut paste, okra, dried fish from the Nile, and greens simmered long.
🗺️
South Sudan. South Sudanese food is built on sorghum and millet, asida porridge with groundnut or okra sauces, grilled meats, and fresh Nile fish. Communal and pastoral, its table reflects the world's youngest nation.
🌍
Africa. Much of what reads as timeless African cooking is younger than the Atlantic crossings. Maize, cassava, groundnut, chilli and tomato all arrived from the Americas after 1500 and pushed older crops aside; millet, sorghum, teff, yam and fonio are the ones that were already here, and the map still shows the join.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from South Sudan
WalwalThe Nilotic staple: sorghum or millet flour rolled by hand into couscous-like granules and boiled into a thick porridge, eaten with milk or thin yoghurt.
ComboSouth Sudanese greens in peanut sauce: leafy greens simmered with tomato and groundnut paste into a rich, creamy relish, eaten with rice.
AseedaSouth Sudan's smooth sorghum dough dome, beaten glossy over the fire and eaten by hand from a shared bowl with mullah stew.
Browse all South Sudan recipes →
Good to know
Storing it: Stews and braises keep 3 to 4 days refrigerated and often taste better the next day. Reheat gently, adding a splash of water if it has thickened.
Make it a South Sudan meal
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Kuindiong (Semolina Pudding)Dessert
Kisra with MulahDinner
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Cuisine
Diet
Frequently asked questions
What is Kajaik?
Fresh Nile fish simmered in a light tomato and onion stew, a staple lunch along South Sudan's rivers.
Where does Kajaik come from?
Kajaik is a South Sudanese dish from Juba, South Sudan.
Can Kajaik be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Kajaik recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions, including several at once such as gluten-free and dairy-free together. Treat them as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Kajaik safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Kajaik take to make?
About 45 minutes total (15 minutes prep, 30 minutes cooking), serving 4.
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