Here’s how to prepare poisson braisé, grilled fish, accompanied by attiéké, fermented cassava similar to couscous, an iconic dish from Central and West Africa, particularly the Ivory Coast. Excellent for summer dinners or lunches.
Ttime: 1 hour (+ 1 hour marinating)
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
500 g attiéké (cassava couscous)
4 whole fish (tilapia, dorade, or sea bream), cleaned and scaled
1 onion, sliced
3 tomatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
Tomato paste to taste
Preparation
First, prepare the marinade by mixing a grated garlic clove, ginger, mustard, oil, chili pepper, salt, and pepper. Make incisions on the sides of the fish to help absorb the marinade, then spread it both inside and out. Let the fish rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Then, grill the fish or cook in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for about twenty minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the finely chopped onion in oil in a pan. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the attiéké to the resulting sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Nigeria. The Zobo Drink
Delicious and refreshing, Zobo is a Nigerian drink made from hibiscus leaves with their distinct red colour, ideal for summer. Here’s how to prepare it in just twenty minutes.
Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 3-4 people
Ingredients:
300 gm dried hibiscus leaves,
1 litre water,
400 ml pineapple juice,
1-2 blended ginger roots,
2 cloves,
1 cinnamon stick,
1 teaspoon black peppercorns,
200 ml orange juice, ice cubes
Preparation
Rinse the hibiscus leaves and add them to a pot with water, ginger, cloves, black pepper, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about ten minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Strain the liquid through a sieve. Add the pineapple and orange juice to the strained hibiscus juice. Chill the drink in the refrigerator and serve with ice.
