Samaki wa Kupaka

Name: Samaki wa Kupaka
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Swahili Coast & Zanzibar
Ingredients: 400 g whole flat fish; 1 garlic clove; 2 cm fresh gingerroot; salt & freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 lime; 1 tbsp tomato puree; 1 onion; 200 g tomatoes; 1 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 red chile; 3 tbsp tamarind paste; 150 ml coconut cream; salt & freshly ground black pepper

A Swahili dish of fish, lime and tomato puree, seasoned with clove and cumin and grilled.

1 hr · Serves 2 · Medium

Method

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Time: Prep 30 min · Cook 30 min · 60 min total
Difficulty: medium

1
Carefully trim the tails and fins from the fish and discard them. Make several slashes in the flesh to allow the flavours of the marinade to be well absorbed.
2
Mix the garlic, ginger, salt, oil and lime together. Rub this mixture into the slashed flesh and stomach cavity. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
30 min
3
Meanwhile, make the Kupaka Sauce. Place the tomato puree, onion, tomatoes and spices into a food processor and blend to a paste.
4
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the paste to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes over a low heat, stirring all the time to stop the mixture sticking and burning.
2 min
5
Add the chillies and simmer for 10 minutes. If the mixture becomes too dry, add a little of the tamarind paste and coconut cream.
10 min
6
Remove the mixture from the heat, stir in the remaining tamarind paste and coconut cream and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
7
Meanwhile, grill the marinated fish over the charcoal barbecue, basting regularly, until cooked through. Serve immediately, with the Kapuka sauce, some plain boiled rice and coconut spinach.