Kwa Ni Ndong (Salt and Pepper Fish)

shopping_basket Ingredients 15 items

• check_circle 2 fresh cleaned catfish
• check_circle 2 green or half-ripe tomatoes
• check_circle Red pepper
• check_circle Black pepper
• check_circle White pepper
• check_circle Messep leaves and flowers
• check_circle Fresh or dried Odzom leaves
• check_circle Wild basil leaves and flowers
• check_circle Dried Ava leaves or flowers
• check_circle 10 djansang seeds
• check_circle 2 chillies, green preferably
• check_circle 1 large onion
• check_circle 5 cloves of garlic
• check_circle Salt
• check_circle Vegetable oil

receipt_long Preparation Steps

1. 1
   Soak the cleaned fish in water and salt and let it soak 10 to 15 minutes.
2. 2
   Roast the djansang, adding a little oil if it is fresh, then crush it on a grinding stone.
3. 3
   Add a little water to the djansang paste and mix to obtain a sauce, then set it aside for later.
4. 4
   Separately crush the messep and wild basil flowers, mix the resulting messep and basil pastes and set aside.
5. 5
   Crush the ava leaves and set aside.
6. 6
   Crush the garlic and set aside.
7. 7
   Crush the 3 peppers and set aside.
8. 8
   Make light slits in the fish and salt it.
9. 9
   Coat the fish with the crushed garlic, working it into the slits to let the spices penetrate.
10. 10
    Add a little oil onto the fish and set it aside.
11. 11
    Add, in succession, half the messep leaves, half the basil leaves and half the odzom leaves into a pan, then the half onion cut or sliced.
12. 12
    In another pot, finely cut the rest of the messep and wild basil leaves and set them aside next to the other previously crushed pastes.
13. 13
    Light the barbecue and brush the grill with oil.
14. 14
    Place the fish on the barbecue (the heat must be low) and brown it 3 to 5 minutes, brushing with oil without cooking it through.
15. 15
    Then place the fish in the pot containing the herbs and the onion, and add on top the cut messep and basil leaves.
16. 16
    Place on top the rest of the odzom leaves, the other half of the cut onion, the two chillies and salt; add 2 glasses of water and let simmer 5 minutes over low heat.
17. 17
    During cooking, add a tablespoon of oil.
18. 18
    Add the djansang sauce you prepared.
19. 19
    Mix the ava paste and the messep-basil flowers in a little water and add to the fish pot.
20. 20
    Mix the pepper paste in a little water and add to the fish pot.
21. 21
    Shake the pot from time to time to prevent sticking.
22. 22
    Let simmer 10 minutes. It's ready. Serve hot with a side of your choice.