Ingredients
Greens
- 400 gpotato greens, sweet potato leaves
- 300 gcassava leaf, pounded and pre-boiled
- or 700 g mixed greens: collard, spinach, kale
- water, for washing
Protein
- 300 gsmoked fish, flaked
- 300 gbeef or goat, in small pieces
- 150 gdried fish, rinsed
- or whatever the household has
Base
- 200 mlred palm oil
- 2onions, chopped
- 5garlic cloves, crushed
- 3tomatoes, chopped
- 2stock cubes
- 2habanero peppers, chopped
- 1 litrewater
- salt and black pepper
To serve
- plenty of boiled rice
- extra pepper sauce
Directions
- Chop is Liberian English for food. It must be boiled hard and uncovered for an hour. Boil it separately first, then add it. Frozen pounded cassava leaf still needs that boil.
- Leave it out entirely if you are unsure. Understanding the other greens helps. Pick the leaves from their stems. Discard any thick or woody stalks. Wash them in several changes of cold water. Lift them out rather than pouring the water off.
- Repeat until the water runs completely clear. Chop them finely with a knife. Warm it gently to melt it before use. Never let palm oil smoke or bleach in the pan. Rinse the dried fish thoroughly. Check it carefully for any bones. Flake the smoked fish and check it too.
- Cut the meat into small pieces. Put the meat in a pot with water. Add a stock cube and some salt. Simmer it for about thirty minutes. It should be very nearly tender. Keep the cooking liquid for the pot.
- Warm the palm oil gently in a large pot. Add the chopped onions to the oil. Cook them for about eight minutes until soft. Keep the heat moderate throughout. Add the crushed garlic and the chopped peppers. Cook them for a good two minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot. Cook them down for about eight minutes. Add the cooked meat and its liquid.
- Add the smoked and dried fish. Crumble in the second stock cube. Stir it all together thoroughly. Add the chopped greens to the pot. Add the pre-boiled cassava leaf if using it. Add water if the pot seems dry.
- Season it with salt and black pepper. Simmering it takes about forty minutes. Bring it up to a steady simmer. Let it cook uncovered so it reduces. Stir it every ten minutes without fail. Judging the finished dish takes a look. Taste it and adjust the salt and the pepper. It should be strongly flavoured and quite hot.
- Pile plenty of boiled rice onto each plate. Spoon the country chop generously over it. Put extra pepper sauce on the table. It keeps three days refrigerated.
Technique
- Chop is Liberian English for food, and country chop means local food as distinct from imported or foreign food.
- The dish is a method rather than a fixed recipe, combining whatever greens and smoked or fresh protein a household has to hand.
- Cassava leaf, if used, must be boiled hard and uncovered for an hour before it goes anywhere near the pot.
Substitutions
- Collard greens, kale or spinach stand in for the traditional greens.
- Smoked mackerel or any strongly smoked fish works in place of African smoked fish.
Variations
- Some households make it entirely with fish and no meat.
- A version thickened with ground egusi or groundnut is made in some families.
- Palava sauce in Ghana and plasas in Sierra Leone are closely related dishes.
History
The everyday upcountry plate, combining whatever greens and smoked protein the household has; the name is Liberian English for local food.
Frequently asked questions
What is Country chop?
Country chop is a main from Liberia: mixed greens, meat and fish cooked down together in palm oil, over rice. The everyday upcountry plate, combining whatever greens and smoked protein the household has; the name is Liberian English for local food.
How long does Country chop take to make?
Country chop takes 40 minutes of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Country chop?
Yes, within limits. Collard greens, kale or spinach stand in for the traditional greens. Smoked mackerel or any strongly smoked fish works in place of African smoked fish.
What is the most important thing to get right in Country chop?
Chop is Liberian English for food. It must be boiled hard and uncovered for an hour. Boil it separately first, then add it. Frozen pounded cassava leaf still needs that boil.
