Spicy tomato sauce can enhance any protein

Ghanaian chale sauce combines well with fatty fish, just about any meat.

West African cuisine has been pinging on my healthy-food radar a lot lately. Several months ago, I spontaneously picked up a package of fonio — a gluten-free West African grain that has recently become more widely available. I was delighted by this tiny millet, which cooks in just 5 minutes, coming out light and fluffy, with a gentle nutty flavor.

Shortly after that, a friend introduced me to Ginjan Café in New York City, which features healthful, African-inspired dishes, and a lively, not-too-sweet signature drink of ginger, pineapple and lemon, which the owners developed to satisfy their longing for a taste of their hometown in Guinea. (That drink, and others, are now available on their website.)

Then I met Zoe Adjonyoh and discovered her cookbook, “Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen,” which opened my eyes further to the wealth of healthful ingredients and dishes from that region.

This recipe, a chale sauce, is inspired by a meal her dad would regularly make for her. Adjonyoh writes in her book that he would whip this sauce up “and then literally throw in any type of meat, fish or vegetarian protein, but it was always tasty.” Its base is a version of a Ghanaian passata, a tomato sauce that is also used as a seasoning element in recipes throughout her book.

When I first made the sauce, as I was adding the spices I felt certain it was going to be way too fiery for me, even with my high heat tolerance, but I was surprised at how the flavors mellowed in the cooked tomato base. Prepared as written, the heat level is a solid medium, which you can certainly adjust to taste.

The sauce’s intense flavor makes it an ideal foil for the richness of fatty fish, such as sardines or mackerel, with all their omega-3 goodness. Using canned or jarred sardines, as in this recipe, also makes it a convenient weeknight meal. Adjonyoh suggests serving the fish and sauce with a squeeze of lemon and with a ball of banku or kenkey, a big dumpling made with fermented cornmeal (and/or cassava) which can be purchased premade at most African grocers or online.

I enjoyed mine spooned over a bed of the fonio I had just bought, which, along with rice as an alternative, Adjonyoh also recommends.

¾ cup canned diced or crushed tomatoes, with their juices, or 10 ounces fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 jarred roasted red pepper

1 small white onion (5 ounces), roughly

chopped

One (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, roughly

chopped

½ small red Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, seeded, or ½ teaspoon of cayenne for a milder heat

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon extra-hot Madras curry powder (may substitute regular Madras curry powder)

½ teaspoon extra-hot chili powder (may

substitute regular chili powder) ½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste 12 ounces canned sardines, in oil, drained Lemon wedges, for serving Cooked rice, fonio, kenkey or banku, for serving (see headnote)

In a blender, combine the tomatoes, roasted pepper, onion, ginger, chile, tomato paste, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, curry and chili powders, and salt and blend on high speed until you have a smooth paste.

Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan, set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the sauce is at a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the ingredients have melded, about 30 minutes.

Gently add the sardines to the sauce and

cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully, so as not to break the sardines, transfer to a platter and serve with lemon wedges as well as rice, fonio, or kenkey or banku (see headnote). makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving (2 to 3 sardines and ⅓ cup sauce): Calories: 221; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 121 mg; Sodium: 629 mg; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 5 g; Protein: 23 g

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

Adapted by cookbook author and registered dietitian nutritionist Ellie Krieger from “Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen” by Zoe Adjonyoh (Voracious, 2021).

TOM MCCORKLE FOR THE WASHINGTON POST Chale Sauce with Sardines comes together quickly, and you can adjust the spice to taste.