Kanda: Pumpkin Seed and Beef Meatball Stew with Tomato-Chili Sauce Recipe
Kanda is a savory and hearty West African dish made with ground beef, toasted pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, and spices. This flavorful meatball stew is simmered in a rich tomato and chili sauce, enhanced with fresh parsley, and traditionally served with steamed rice for a comforting and satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: West African
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Mixture
- 3 cups pumpkin seeds (shelled and lightly toasted)
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 small onion (peeled and chopped)
- 7 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)
- 1/2 cup cold water (if needed)
Sauce
- 1/4–1/2 cup palm or peanut oil
- 1 medium onion (peeled and thinly sliced)
- 4 large tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and diced)
- 1–2 chili peppers (seeds and stems removed and minced)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 small bunch parsley (stems removed and roughly chopped)
- Steamed rice (for serving)
Instructions
- Grind Pumpkin Seeds: Using a food processor, grind the pumpkin seeds until they become a fine powder to serve as a binding ingredient for the meatballs.
- Prepare Meat Mixture: Add the ground beef, chopped onion, and garlic to the pumpkin seed powder in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and cohesive. If the mixture is too dry to come together, add up to 1/2 cup of cold water gradually.
- Chill the Mixture: Transfer the meat mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour to firm up and blend the flavors.
- Sauté Onions: Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Tomatoes and Chilis: Stir in the peeled, seeded, and diced tomatoes along with the minced chili peppers. Cover and cook for 5 minutes to break down the tomatoes.
- Simmer Sauce: Add 1 1/2 cups water to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the sauce simmer gently.
- Form Meatballs: Remove the chilled meat mixture from the refrigerator and shape it into golf ball-sized meatballs.
- Add Meatballs to Sauce: Increase the heat to medium-high. Gently add the meatballs into the simmering sauce, being careful not to break them.
- Cook Meatballs: Cover and cook the meatballs for 10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking without breaking them. Then reduce heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for an additional 20 minutes.
- Final Simmer: Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and continue cooking uncovered for 30 more minutes to deepen the flavors and cook the meatballs through.
- Add Parsley and Serve: Fold in the roughly chopped parsley for freshness. Serve the Kanda hot with steamed rice on the side.
Notes
- To peel tomatoes easily, score an X on the bottom, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer to ice water before peeling.
- You can substitute pumpkin seeds with ground melon seeds for a slightly different nutty flavor.
- Adjust chili quantity based on your preferred heat level.
- Ensure to gently stir meatballs to avoid breaking their shape.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
Keywords: Kanda, West African meatballs, pumpkin seed meatballs, tomato meatball stew, spicy African recipes
