Canja

About This Recipe

Canja is the Cape Verdean comfort food par excellence — a simple, restorative chicken soup with rice, brightened at the last moment with a squeeze of lemon and a handful of fresh coriander. It is eaten when someone is unwell, to welcome a newborn, or simply when the soul needs warming.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gchicken thighs, bone-in
• 150 glong-grain white rice
• 1 largeonion, diced
• 1 lemonlemon, juiced
• 1 small bunchfresh coriander
• 1 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the chicken

   Place chicken, onion, and salt in a pot. Cover with 1.5 litres water. Bring to a boil, skim foam, then simmer 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Shred and return

   Remove chicken. When cool enough to handle, pull meat from bones and return shredded meat to the broth. Discard bones.

3. 3

   Add rice

   Bring broth back to a simmer, add rice, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes until rice is tender.

4. 4

   Finish and serve

   Stir in lemon juice, adjust salt, and ladle into bowls. Top generously with fresh coriander.

Variations

• •

  Add a diced tomato and bay leaf during cooking for a fuller flavour.

• •

  Use leftover rotisserie chicken and good stock to cut cooking time to 20 minutes.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for 3 days. The rice will absorb more liquid — add water when reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions