Attiéké with Poisson Braisé

Ingredients

• 500g attiéké (fermented cassava semolina)
• 250ml water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 whole sea bream or tilapia, about 500g each, gutted
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3cm piece fresh ginger
• 1/2 onion
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 stock cube
• 2 tbsp groundnut oil
• 1 lemon
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp groundnut oil for the salad
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt for the salad

Before you cook

• Slash each fish three times on both sides.
• Blend the garlic, ginger, half onion, parsley, white pepper, stock cube and the juice of half the lemon into a marinade.
• Rub the marinade into the slashes and leave the fish for 20 minutes.
• Moisten the attiéké in a bowl with the 250ml of water and the half teaspoon of salt, raking the grains apart with your fingers.
• Line a steamer basket with a clean cloth.
• Dice the tomatoes, slice the red onion and chop the green chilli, then dress them with the tablespoon of oil, the lemon juice and the salt.

Steps

1. Tip the moistened attiéké into the cloth-lined steamer and fold the cloth loosely over the top.
2. Steam it over boiling water for 10 minutes.
3. Open the cloth, break the grains up with a fork, and fold the cloth back over.
4. Steam for another 10 minutes, until the grains are hot, light and completely separate.
5. Heat a ridged griddle or barbecue until it is smoking hot.
6. Brush the marinated fish all over with the 2 tablespoons of groundnut oil.
7. Lay the fish down and leave it untouched for 7 minutes.
8. Turn the fish carefully and grill the second side for 6 minutes, until the flesh at the backbone flakes.
9. Fluff the steamed attiéké into a wide serving bowl.
10. Set the fish on top and spoon the tomato salad over it.
11. Serve with the rest of the lemon cut into wedges.