Lunches
Arroz con Pescado
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- 500g (1 lb 2 oz) firm white fish fillets, cut into chunks
- 300g (1 1/2 cups) long-grain rice
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 scotch bonnet chilli, whole (for aroma, not heat)
- 3 tbsp palm oil or vegetable oil
- 600ml (2 1/2 cups) fish or vegetable stock
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley or coriander, to finish
Method
- Season the fish chunks with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the onion, garlic and bell pepper for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes until they break down into a sauce.
- Stir in the rice, coating it in the tomato base, then add the stock and whole chilli.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- Nestle the fish chunks into the rice, cover again and cook for a further 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through and the rice is tender.
- Remove the whole chilli, fluff the rice, scatter with parsley and serve.
Introduction: A one-pot fish and rice dish showing the direct hand of Spanish colonial cooking on Equatoguinean tables.
Cultural Background: A one-pot fish and rice dish showing the direct hand of Spanish colonial cooking on Equatoguinean tables. Coastal families in Malabo and Bata make it with whatever fresh catch is available that morning, simmered with tomato, onion and a fragrant West African pepper base rather than the saffron of Iberian paella.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
Reheating: Reheat in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the rice.
Tips: Keep the chilli whole so it perfumes the dish without making it fiery — remove before serving. Use a firm fish like grouper or snapper so it holds its shape.
Variations: Add cooked shrimp in the last 5 minutes for a seafood version. Use smoked fish for a deeper, smokier flavour. For a vegetarian version, replace fish with chunks of fried plantain and use vegetable stock.
Nutrition: Per serving: 460 kcal, 30g protein, 55g carbohydrate, 13g fat, 3g fibre
FAQs:
Q: Can I use frozen fish?
A: Yes — thaw fully and pat dry before seasoning so it doesn’t release excess water into the rice.
Q: Is this the same as Spanish paella?
A: It’s related in method but uses local ingredients like palm oil and scotch bonnet rather than saffron and chorizo.
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