Frying • Simmering and Stewing • black pepper • curry powder • fish (tilapia) • oil • onion • peanut butter • salt • Eastern Africa • Kenya • Uganda
Ngege (Tilapia) with Groundnut Sauce
Ngege (Oreochromis esculentus, a kind of Tilapia) is commonly consumed throughout Africa’s great lakes region. Lake Victoria was a famous source of Ngege until the Nile Perch was introduced and drove the Ngege to near-extinction (many Lake Victoria cichlids suffered the same fate). This is another of Africa’s many Peanut Sauce recipes, similar to Central Africa’s Fried Fish in Peanut Sauce.
Ngege (Tilapia) with Groundnut Sauce Recipe
Pan-fried fish with peanut sauce.
Ingredients
salt and black pepper (to taste)
1 cup cooking oil
4 whole tilapia (one per person), one to two pounds each; cleaned (or tilapia fillets, or any fish)
2 onions, finely chopped
½ cup peanut butter (natural, unsweetened) or a homemade groundnut paste made by grinding fresh roasted peanuts
1 tsp curry powder, or any similar spice mixture
Instructions
1
If using whole fish: Cut two or three slits into each side of the fish; rub salt and pepper into the slits and on the side of the fish.
If using fillets: Rub salt and pepper onto the fillets.
2
Heat oil in deep frying pan until very hot. Fry fish in hot oil, one side at a time, until fish is browned and crispy, turning once. Reduce heat and cover. Allow fish to cook a few more minutes until it is done. Remove fish from pan. Place fish in covered dish in warm oven.
3
Increase heat under frying pan. Fry the onions in the same pan, until fully cooked. Remove onions and place them over the fish. Reduce heat.
4
Add peanut butter and curry powder (or other spices) to frying pan. Mix well with remaining oil. Reduce heat to very low. Slowly stir in enough water (about a cup) to make a smooth sauce. Simmer over very low heat for a few minutes.
5
Place fish and onions on a serving platter and pour sauce over them.
Ingredients
salt and black pepper (to taste)
1 cup cooking oil
4 whole tilapia (one per person), one to two pounds each; cleaned (or tilapia fillets, or any fish)
2 onions, finely chopped
½ cup peanut butter (natural, unsweetened) or a homemade groundnut paste made by grinding fresh roasted peanuts
1 tsp curry powder, or any similar spice mixture
Directions
1
If using whole fish: Cut two or three slits into each side of the fish; rub salt and pepper into the slits and on the side of the fish.
If using fillets: Rub salt and pepper onto the fillets.
2
Heat oil in deep frying pan until very hot. Fry fish in hot oil, one side at a time, until fish is browned and crispy, turning once. Reduce heat and cover. Allow fish to cook a few more minutes until it is done. Remove fish from pan. Place fish in covered dish in warm oven.
3
Increase heat under frying pan. Fry the onions in the same pan, until fully cooked. Remove onions and place them over the fish. Reduce heat.
4
Add peanut butter and curry powder (or other spices) to frying pan. Mix well with remaining oil. Reduce heat to very low. Slowly stir in enough water (about a cup) to make a smooth sauce. Simmer over very low heat for a few minutes.
5
Place fish and onions on a serving platter and pour sauce over them.
Variations: include tomatoes, green pepper, hot chile pepper, and/or garlic when frying the onion.