This recipe is a very traditional style of cooking across Ghana. Tilapia is the most famous freshwater fish in Ghana. This whole fish is seasoned with herbs and spices, then grilled to crispy perfection on the outside while staying juicy and tender inside. It’s a simple yet impressive dish that highlights the fresh, natural flavors of the fish.
Ingredients
- Fish 2 fresh tilapia, scaled, gutted, and washed
- Lime wedges for the marinade
- Onion 1 white onion, grated
- Rapeseed oil 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
- Ginger 5cm (2-inch) piece of fresh root ginger, grated (unpeeled if organic)
- Garlic 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
- green chilies 2 green kpakpo shito (cherry) chillies, deseeded and finely diced, or substitute green habanero chillies
- Lime juice of 1 lime
- Spice blend 2 tablespoons ground grains of paradise, or substitute ½ teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
- Chili Flakes ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- Spices ½ teaspoon ground hot pepper, or substitute cayenne pepper
- Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
Steps:
- Using a sharp cook’s knife, remove the gill coverings and hard fins from the tilapia – this is a messy job, so it’s worth asking your fishmonger to do it for you. Carefully cut 3 evenly spaced diagonal slashes into either side of the fish – tilapia skin is very thick, so you’ll need a firm, steady hand. Place the prepared fish in a dish.
- Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together in a bowl or place in a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth paste.
- Pour the marinade over the fish, reserving a small amount for basting, and rub it into the slashes and inside the cavity of each fish. Cover the dish with Clingfilm and leave the fish to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
- Remove from the fridge a few minutes before you’re ready to cook and preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the fish on a baking tray lined with foil and cook under the grill for 25 minutes (add an extra 3–5 minutes if the fish are particularly large or thick) until nicely browned and cooked through, turning and basting with the reserved marinade halfway through the cooking time.
- Serve with Green Kpakpo Shito Salsa and Banku or plain boiled rice, along with lime wedges for squeezing over.