Mbongo Tchobi

Ingredients

• 1.2kg catfish or firm white fish, cut into steaks
• 5 tbsp ground mbongo spice
• 10 njansa seeds
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 spring onions
• 40g fresh basil
• 20g parsley
• 1 tsp ground alligator pepper
• 80ml vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp bouillon powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 300ml water

Before you cook

• Rinse the fish steaks under cold water and pat them dry.
• Chop the tomatoes, the onion and the spring onions.
• Peel the garlic cloves.
• Pick the basil and parsley leaves off their stalks.

Steps

1. Toast the njansa seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, until they smell nutty.
2. Tip the toasted seeds into a blender with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, spring onions, basil and parsley.
3. Blend to a coarse purée with 100ml of the water.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide pot over medium heat.
5. Pour in the blended mixture and stand back from the pot, because it will spit.
6. Simmer the base for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and darkens.
7. Stir in the mbongo spice and the alligator pepper.
8. Cook for 5 minutes, so the spice loses its raw edge and the sauce turns near-black.
9. Pour in the remaining 200ml of water and bring the sauce back to a simmer.
10. Slide the fish steaks into the sauce in a single layer.
11. Simmer gently for 12 minutes without stirring, spooning sauce over the fish twice.
12. Season with the bouillon powder and the salt.
13. Rest the pot off the heat for 5 minutes, then serve with boiled plantain.