How to cook fish Kenyan style

Fish has always been a savory dish. It is widely consumed especially in Nyanza and in the coastal regions of Kenya. Nothing tastes better than a fresh well-cooked fish. Want to know how to cook fish? Don’t worry, this article is what you need to look at. For your fish to taste better, have all the necessary ingredients before cooking. Understand the ratio needed when adding your spices and salt.

Fish not only tastes good but also has a great amount of nutritional value. Fish has a high-quality protein and is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. This article will guide you on how to cook fish Kenyan style. The recipes given are easy to understand and will have you enjoy your fish. Listed below are four ways to cook fish.

To start off, I will share with you the recipe for garlic and lemon fish curry. It is better to make your own home made fish than buy, as you are sure that the making of the fish is done in a hygienic manner.

READ ALSO: Easy fish fillet recipes for any occasion

1. Recipe for garlic and lemon fish curry

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Whole Fish
• 2 large onions
• 2 fresh lemons
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon of ginger
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• Pepper
• Dhania
• Chili
• 2 tablespoons of fish masala

Procedure

• Heat the vegetable oil and add the chopped onions and minced or grated garlic.
• Add the fish masala, ground ginger, and black pepper and let it sauté until the onions are soft.
• Add the tomato and tomato paste and stir.
• Add chili and let it simmer for not more than ten minutes.
• Meanwhile, squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the fish. Gently put the fish which is by now soaked in lemon in the pan with the mixture.
• Instead of mixing the fish with the tomatoes, you can put them in a pan and place the tomato soup on top of the fish. This will stop the fish from breaking into small parts.
• Let your fish simmer when covered, and remove it from the heat after 10 minutes.
• After this, you can add a little Dhania leaves on top for garnishing.
• Serve with rice, Ugali or your favorite vegetables.

READ ALSO: Campaign to teach Kikuyu ladies how to cook fish kicks off

2. Fresh tuna fish and brown rice cakes

Ingredients

• 1 can of Tuna
• Green beans
• Spring onions
• 3 large tomatoes
• Cooking Oil
• Garlic
• 1 Egg
• salt
• Rice
• Dhania

Procedure

• Heat the oil in your pan and add garlic, spring onions and the green beans. Stir for two minutes.
• Mix the brown rice, cheese, Dhania, flour, egg, tuna, salt and the cooked green beans in a large bowl.
• Apply some oil on your hands and have 1 tablespoon of the mixture on it. Roll into circular shapes and gently press it to form little fish cakes. Put each fish onto baking paper on baking tray.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 C for about 15 minutes.
• Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish cakes and serve.

3. Recipe for swahili fish with coconut rice

This recipe is especially loved by people who live at the coast of Kenya, and even Zanzibar. When serving the rice after cooking, you can use the shell of a used coconut. This makes the dish more appetizing. This is a fresh fish recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 Fillets of tilapia fish
• Salt
• 1 fresh chili
• Curry Powder
• 1 cup of washed and soaked rice
• Black pepper
• 3 large red tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• Fresh Dhania
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• Turmeric powder

Procedure

• Heat your oil and when ready, fry the onions till soft.
• When the onions turn golden brown, add grated ginger and garlic and stir.
• Add salt and tomatoes, Turmeric powder, curry powder and stir. Let it cook for five minutes, or till the tomatoes get to be soft. This is how to cook fish stew.
• Pour in the coconut milk and sprinkle the Dhania on top. Allow it to simmer for four minutes.
• Put the tilapia fish on the curry and let it simmer with the sufuria. The fish will have fully cooked after 8 minutes.
• For the coconut rice, add the partly boiled rice and coconut milk in the pan. Let it boil for a few minutes then reduce the heat. You should later on cover it and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
• Serve the Swahili fish with the coconut rice. You can add vegetables or potatoes on the side.

The third method below could easily be the best Kenyan fish recipe, as the ingredients are easily available in the market and supermarkets. Just ensure that you balance your ratios well.

4. Fried fish recipe

The final process is the fried fish recipe. This is simple to make and it is popular in East African restaurants and food joints. Don’t limit the amount of cayenne pepper when cooking fried fish. The more the better. When making a meal for a lot of people, you should, however, consider everyone’s taste.

Ingredients

• 1 whole fish
• Salt
• Lemon juice
• Cayenne pepper
• 4 cloves of garlic
• Cooking oil

Procedure

• Marinate the fish in a bowl that has ¼ cup of lemon juice, grated garlic, salt and ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Let it settle for at least 30 minutes before you start cooking.
• Dry the fish with paper towels as the oil is heating. Use medium heat.
• When the oil is ready, dip the fish in the pan and fry till both sides are brown.
• The fish is now ready and can be served with rice or vegetables.

There are different styles to cook fish, and you can add or choose to not use some of the ingredients provided. Adding spices is optional, but for a mouth-watering fish, you need to at least have one common spice. A lot of spices are cheaply and easily found in grocery stores; there is no real excuse for not using them. Go through this article and you will know how to cook fish. As seen, the methods used are basic and can be mastered by anyone. Follow the recipes given and enjoy your fish.

The best way to ensure that your fish comes out as tasty as you want is to use fresh fish. Avoid buying fish which has been refrigerated for days, as it sometimes does not come out well. Another trick is to regulate your heat when cooking. Know when to minimize or increase the heat on your stove. Fish can practically be eaten by anything. Fries, rice, mashed potatoes are some of the accompaniments fish lovers in Kenya like.

Whether stewing, deep frying or preparing in any other way, ensure that your fish is scaled properly before cooking. Cooking with the scales will ruin the meal no matter how well you do it. Scaling is simple and can easily be done at home, but if you don’t have enough time, have the fishmonger do it for you.

A good number of people have been asking on how to cook fish the Kenyan style. The article above has outlined four of the best recipes that can be used in cooking fish for beginner cooks or anyone that wants to try out a different fish recipe.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

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