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Serekunda Fish Benachin
Serekunda Fish Benachin is a traditional Gambian recipe for a classic one-pot stew if rice, fish and vegetables in a chilli and tomato sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Gambian version of: Serekunda Fish Benachin.
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
40 minutes
Total Time:
60 minutes
Additional Time:
(+20 minutes marinating)
Serves:
4
Rating: 
Tags : Chilli RecipesVegetable RecipesGambia Recipes
Bonga is by far the commonest kind of fish sold in Senegal, The Gambia and Guinea. It is sold fresh in the larger markets and is also the predominant fish type in the production of smoke, dried fish. In Liberia and Senegal this fish is known as the 'bonnie'. Thee name 'benachin' derives from thee Wolof language and literally means 'one pot cooking'.
Ingredients:
1 bonga (bonnie) fish [shad]
6 white fish
3 onions, chopped
salt, black pepper and ground chilli powder, to taste
2 hot chillies
2 Maggi (stock) cubes
60ml (4 tbsp) tomato purée
600g sort-grain rice, rinsed
360ml oil (typically soya oil)
1 squash, peeled, de-seeded and cubed
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 bitter tomatoes, cut into wedges (substitute small bitter aubergines)
salt
Method:
Clean and scale the fish (but otherwise leave whole) then score the flesh. Season with plenty of salt, black pepper and chilli powder then set aside for 20 minutes to marinate.
Prepare the chilli paste (known as 'nokas' in the Gambia). Add the chillies, 2 tsp black pepper and half the onion to a pestle and mortar. Pound to a paste then crumble in the Maggi cube and pound some more. Transfer to a bowl then add the remaining onions to the mortar, pound to a paste before adding the tomatoes and pounding to combine.
Add the oil to a deep pot and heat. When hot add the marinated fish to the oil and fry for about 3 minutes per side before sprinkling the tomato and onion mixture over the top. Whisk the tomato purée with an equal volume of water and add to the pot. Wait until the oil turns red (do not stir) then add 400ml water along with the bitter tomatoes and squash.
Place the rice in a metal colander and set over the pot, cover with a cloth and add a lid so that everything is sealed.
Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender then remove the vegetables and fish from the pot and set aside to keep warm. Add the nokas and the rice to the stock and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the stock has almost all evaporated.
Transfer the rice to a serving dish, lay the vegetables and fish on top then serve.
