Fried Fish Stew, is one of the most popular stew in Nigerians recipes. It's use to eat; Boiled White Rice and Beans, Boiled White Rice, Boiled Beans, Boiled Yam, Fried Yam, Boiled Potatoes, Fried Potatoes, and some even go to the extent of adding it to there ; Jollof Spaghetti, Jollof Rice, Beans Porridge etc... And the major challenges many people face when preparing the Fried Fish Stew is that before the stew done, all the fish will have been scattered in the stew. But if you can follow this simple steps am about to share, it will help you prepare your stew and the fish will not get scattered.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED:
* 400 mls of Tomato Stew.
* 1kg of Mackerel (Titus)
* 1½ teaspoons of Thyme.
* 2 Onions.
* 2 Stock Cubes.
* Habanero Pepper (Atarodo, Ose Oyibo, Atarugu).
* 2 tablespoons of Crayfish.
* Salt.
Notes About The Ingredients.
1. The Tomato Stew, should be fresh tomato puree (thick) or tomato paste that has been halfway cook to remove any traces of water or having a sour, acidic or citrus taste.
2. Mackerel (Titus), I can boldly say is the most popular fish in Nigerian market, and is the one mainly dedicated for preparing the Fried Fish Stew. Reason why I say this is that so many people don't go Mackerel (Titus) when it comes to using of fish in any recipes, not just because of any other things, but the price. And the problems behind any other fish is they are too soft to cook or fry, before finish up your cooking or frying, you find all your fish scattered in the Stew or frying pan.
Notes: "Am not saying that you can't make use of any kind of fish of your choice, but you have to be careful when using it".
3. So many people have always being asking me for the meaning of "Stock cubes", "Stock water" and even "Stock fish".
* Stock cubes: this is the seasoning cubes we all added to our cooking, popularly known as Magi.
* Stock water: this is the water you get from your meat or chicken or fish, when you boil them with seasoning cubes and other ingredients.
* Stock fish: is the popular cod or a similar fish split and dried in the open air without salt.
4. I always say, in all the recipe, we go crazy when it comes to the quantities of any ingredients, so any ingredients you are using should always be to your taste.
Before you proceed with your cooking.
1. Already, you have some Tomato Stew in freezer, bring it out and put it in warm water to defrost before you will need to use it in your cooking. But if you don't have, first of all, prepare some. Read on How to Prepare Tomato Stew by clicking here.
Notes: "it's good to always have it in your freezer, a large quantities of tomato stew. It helps you to prepare any recipes you will need it faster than not having it".
2. Cut your fish into any size of your choice and remove the intestine, but if it's egg keep it.
Notes: It's advisable to cut your fish while it's still frozen a little bit. This is to helps you have a good cuts.
3. Add some salt to the fish, then rub the salt allover the fish one after the other with your hands and set aside.
4. Slice one part of the onions and chop the other one part of it.
5. Now Pound or blend the habanero pepper (atarodo, ose oyibo, atarugu).
DIRECTIONS:
1. Set up your cooker or stove and place a clean pot on it.
2. Pour the chopped onions, then crush the stock cubes and add to it with the thyme.
3. Add the fish one after the other and pour small amount of water to it, at list the water level should be above the fish. Cook for 3 minutes or less.
4. After 3 minutes, check out the cooking, now the fish will have turned out white, bring them out one after the other and place in a sieve.
Notes 1: you can just add salt and fry the fish straight away without cooking it at all, but the seasoning need to get into the fish.
Notes 2: To have a delicious stew, we need some fish stock (water from the fish after boiling with seasoning) while the stock water from the fish, give the stew some nice taste that will make the stew more delicious.
Notes 3: The boiling process helps to toughen the fish therefore it prevent the fish from disintegrating in the stew or when frying it.
5. Now set the fish stock aside and proceed.
6. Fry the fish with a small quantity of vegetable oil.
7. After frying the fish, set aside.
8. Set a new pot and pour the fish stock into it, to boil.
Notes: if it not too cold, no need of boiling. Just add your tomato stew and habanero pepper.
9. When it boils, add the tomato stew and habanero pepper. Add more water if necessary, your stew most not be too watery, to get a good taste out of the stew. Make it thick a little bit and cook for like 5 minutes or less.
10. When it probably cooked, add salt to it and stir very well, cover and continue cooking until you see some oil floated on the surface of the stew. The oil from the Tomato Stew, stir again so that it won't burn.
12. After stirring, add your Fried Fish, you may add more water if necessary.
stir slowly and slowly, cover and simmer (cooking below a boiling point) for like 2 minutes, after that, your Fried Fish Stew is ready to go with White Boiled Rice and Beans, White Boiled Rice, Fried Yam, Boiled Yam, or Boiled Beans.
