Grilling • Roasting • bay leaf • black pepper • cayenne pepper or red pepper • chile pepper • fish • garlic • lemon juice • Maggi® sauce or Maggi® cube • mustard • oil (peanut oil) • onion • salt • vinegar (cider vinegar) • Western Africa • Senegal
Poisson Yassa (Fish Yassa)
This traditional Senegalese recipe, basically a lemon-onion-mustard marinade and sauce, is used for Poulet Yassa, mutton, and fish (poisson): Poisson Yassa. It would take an ichthyologist to determine exactly what kind of fish are used to make this dish in Africa, and those fish may not be available elsewhere. Select any firm-fleshed fish that won’t fall apart on the grill. Tilapia and Salmon work well.
Poisson Yassa Recipe
A traditional Senegalese recipe, fish cooked in a lemon-onion-mustard marinade.
Ingredients
½ cup peanut oil (or any cooking oil)
4 (or more!) onions, cut up
8 tbsp lemon juice
1 bay leaf
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 tbsp cider vinegar or white vinegar (optional)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)
2 tablespoons Maggi® sauce (or Maggi® cubes and water), or soy sauce (optional)
1 chile pepper, cleaned and finely chopped (optional)
cayenne pepper or red pepper, black pepper, salt (to taste)
4 lbs fish — one large fish or a few small fish: whole, filleted, or cut into serving-sized pieces
Instructions
1
If using whole fish:
Cut several slits in the side of the fish to allow it to better marinate.
2
In a glass bowl or baking pan mix all ingredients (except the fish) to make a marinade. Place the fish in the marinade, covering both sides, and allow it to marinate an hour. Remove fish from the marinade, but save the marinade. Cook according to one of the following methods.
3
Cooking method 1: Cook fish over an outdoor grill (or broil fish in a hot oven) until done. If grilling: a hinged wire basket made for holding fish on the grill is very useful.
Cooking method 2: In a frypan, fry the fish on each side in hot oil until done.
4
While fish is cooking: Pour the marinade into a saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the marinade thickens into a sauce.
Ingredients
½ cup peanut oil (or any cooking oil)
4 (or more!) onions, cut up
8 tbsp lemon juice
1 bay leaf
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 tbsp cider vinegar or white vinegar (optional)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)
2 tablespoons Maggi® sauce (or Maggi® cubes and water), or soy sauce (optional)
1 chile pepper, cleaned and finely chopped (optional)
cayenne pepper or red pepper, black pepper, salt (to taste)
4 lbs fish — one large fish or a few small fish: whole, filleted, or cut into serving-sized pieces
Directions
1
If using whole fish:
Cut several slits in the side of the fish to allow it to better marinate.
2
In a glass bowl or baking pan mix all ingredients (except the fish) to make a marinade. Place the fish in the marinade, covering both sides, and allow it to marinate an hour. Remove fish from the marinade, but save the marinade. Cook according to one of the following methods.
3
Cooking method 1: Cook fish over an outdoor grill (or broil fish in a hot oven) until done. If grilling: a hinged wire basket made for holding fish on the grill is very useful.
Cooking method 2: In a frypan, fry the fish on each side in hot oil until done.
4
While fish is cooking: Pour the marinade into a saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the marinade thickens into a sauce.
Serve the fish over cooked Rice on a serving dish and cover with sauce. Serve Ginger Beer or Green Tea with Mint with or after the meal.