Central African Republic steamed fish is called Maboké de Capitaine. It is a dish typically made with Nile perch, catfish, grouper or tilapia.
It is a classic dish from Central African Republic.
The fish filets are steamed in banana leaves on a bed of onion, garlic, tomato, hot chili and parsley. Any nice white fish filet will work well in this recipe, I used tilapia and it was light, and succulent.
It is typically served with rice and fried plantains.
You can use the banana leaf that the fish is cooked in for a beautiful presentation.
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Maboké de Capitaine (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf)
Ingredients
- 4 fillets Nile perch or equivalent
- 8 banana leaves or use kitchen foil
- 1 large onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 small tomatoes
- 1 hot chili
- 2 sprigs parsley
- salt to taste
Instructions
- If using banana leaves, then arrange these in pairs.
- Alternatively use 12” squares of kitchen foil.
- Finely chop the garlic, onion, parsley and chili then mix together.
- Wash, de-seed and slice the tomatoes into thin slivers.
- Place a tablespoon of the onion mix in the center of each banana leaf (or each square of kitchen foil).
- Sit a fillet of Nile perch on top then add a spoonful of the onion mix on top.
- Sit the tomato slivers on top of everything.
- Close the parcels, tying securely with string then sit a rack in a roasting tin.
- Fill the roasting tin with boiling water up to the rack then sit the mabokés on top.
- Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 400°F and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the fish is cooked and flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve hot, direct from the cooking parcel and accompanied by fried plantains and plain, boiled, rice.
