Destination
Mombasa
The story
Samaki wa nazi ("fish in coconut") is the Swahili coast's everyday fish supper: firm white fish poached gently in a coconut-based sauce with sweated onion, garlic, ginger, tomato, tamarind and a fistful of coriander. Simpler and softer than its Sunday cousin samaki wa kupaka (which uses grilled fish and a thicker sauce), samaki wa nazi is the weeknight version, cooked in one pan in 30 minutes and served with rice, chapati or ugali. Every Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu household kitchen has a slightly different version.
Method
Toss the fish chunks with the lime juice, salt and turmeric. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Warm the oil in a wide heavy pan over medium heat. Sweat the onion 6 to 8 minutes until soft and starting to gold.
Add the garlic, ginger and chilli. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the tomato, cumin, ground coriander and salt. Cook 6 to 8 minutes until the tomato breaks down and the mixture is thick.
Stir in the tamarind paste. Pour in the coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 5 minutes to develop flavour.
Slide the fish chunks into the sauce. Spoon sauce over the tops. Simmer very gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until the fish is just opaque all the way through. Don't stir aggressively; you want the fish pieces to stay whole.
Off the heat, stir in most of the coriander. Taste for salt.
Ladle into wide bowls with rice, chapati or ugali on the side. Scatter with remaining coriander. Serve with kachumbari and lime wedges.
Tips
- Firm white fish only. Snapper, sea bream, hake, monkfish and halibut all hold together in the sauce. Delicate fish (sole, plaice, cod) fall apart within minutes.
- Full-fat coconut milk, from a tin. Light coconut milk gives you a watery sauce; coconut cream is too rich. Full-fat is the right density.
- Tamarind, not lime, for the acid. The specific sour-sweet-fruity note of tamarind (sold as paste or concentrate at Indian and African grocers) is what makes the dish Swahili. Lime juice is a distant substitute.
- Don't stir hard once the fish is in. Gentle spooning of sauce over the top is fine; anything more breaks the fish into shreds. Half the pleasure is spooning up whole pieces.
- 5 to 7 minutes is the target. Fish overcooks fast in a simmering sauce. Pull the pan off the heat as soon as the pieces are just opaque; residual heat finishes the cook.
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