Telo met Bakkeljauw (Fried Cassava with Salted Cod)

One of the great things about tropical countries is that most of your time is spent outdoors, and that means there is a huge selection of street food on offer. Suriname is no different, and this following dish, Telo with Bakkeljauw, is one of the most popular street foods in Paramaribo. It reminds me in particular of the roadside snackbar at Paranam, by the aluminium smelter, right before you hit the Afobaka Highway and the entrance to the interior of Suriname. We used to make this trip regularly and would nearly always stop here for some Telo. Lovely!

I mentioned the other day about how versatile cassava is, and this is one of the many dishes that can be made from the humble root. It is of Javan origin, and is great as a midday snack!

Although my favourite accompaniment to Telo is Trie (tiny little anchovy like fish fried crispy with tomato, madame jeanette pepper and ketjap) this is very difficult to get in the Netherlands, but fortunately Bakkeljauw (salted cod) is an excellent alternative!

Ingredients

1 kilo fresh cassava or 3 or 4 packs frozen cassava
1 pack (approx. 450 gram) bakkeljauw (salted codfish)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tomato
1/2 Madame Jeanette pepper (seeds removed)
1 tsp tomato puree
1/2 tsp adjinomoto (MSG)
1 tsp black pepper
2 Maggi bouillon cubes
sunflower oil (for frying the telo)

1 pack Indonesian peanut sambal sauce

Method

If using fresh cassava, peel the skin, and then add to a large pan of boiling water. If using frozen cassava blocks, add to the boiling water. The cassava needs to cook, much like potato, until it is starting to get soft.

Meanwhile take the bakkeljauw out of the packet and add it to a pan of water (at least enough to cover the fish). This needs to be cooked through (min. 30 minutes) to release the salt that the fish is stored in. Some people soak the bakkeljauw in water overnight and replace the water at regular intervals, but this is not strictly necessary these days. 

When the cassava is soft enough, drain it and dry gently on paper towels. Heat oil (either in a pan, wok or a  deep fryer). Cut the cassava into thin(ish) strips of about 2-3 cm wide. When the oil is at 180 C, the cassava is ready to go. Fry a few pieces at a time for about 5-6 mins or until the cassava is golden brown and crispy.

Remove from the oil and allow the excess oil to drain and then place the telo onto paper towels. You can salt the telo to taste as you would with chips.

When the bakkeljauw has been thoroughly unsalted, it can be rinsed through with cold water and then flaked to remove as much of the skin and bones as possible. 

Cut the onion finely, and the garlic and tomato and fry these gently until they are soft. Add the flakes of salted cod/bakkeljauw and fry this well. Chop the Madame Jeanette pepper finely* and add this too. Add the tomato puree, Maggi blocks, salt and pepper, and MSG, and let these mix well into the cod. Fry this for about 8-10 minutes, using the back of a fork to break up the cod flakes as you go.

To make the peanut sambal sauce add the packet contents with a little water to a pan and heat this gently, stirring as you go, until you have a smooth thick sauce.

When all the telo has been fried, the bakkeljauw is soft and cooked through, and the peanut sauce is looking smooth, you are ready to eat!!!

Njang switi. Enjoy!

*A word of warning when cutting peppers - these are ridiculously hot and should be handled with great care.  To be safe, cut the pepper using gloves or at least cover your hand with a plastic bag. If you do get pepper on your hand DO NOT rub your eyes or go to the toilet without washing your hands first, with hot soapy water, or you will be in for a nasty surprise and a lot of pain!

DID YOU KNOW?

Bakkeljauw is the Portuguese name for dried and salted cod. It was preserved in salt to keep it from spoiling, and was originally brought over to Suriname by Jewish Portuguese slave traders, as it would be used on the long and gruelling voyage across the Atlantic.