How To Make Grilled Fish The Nigerian Method At Home

FISH GRILLING

Hello lovelies, I will writing on a special fish grilling method I recently learnt, trust me this fish grilling method is a game changer.

It is said in my culture that “what an old man sees sitting, young ones cannot see even if they climb a tree”. So recently, I have been following experienced chefs to their prospective events and I have learnt a lot.

The one that baffles me a lot was the fish grilling technique and marination my eyes was opened to by a culinary senior of mine.

What I do formally is to marinate my fish and grill. Simple. However, I was exposed to a simpler but very lovely method.

I will be using the Croaker fish as example.

In this method: there will be sauce preparation which is just pepper stew.

Benefits Of Grilled Fish

  • Boosts brain health in the aged to prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
  • Good source of vitamin D.
  • Provides nutrients that kids need to grow and develop, if you are pregnant eating fish will be beneficial to your unborn child or newborn baby.
  • Prevents and treats depressions, and increases the efficacy of anti-depressant drugs.
  • Improves sleep quality.
  • Lowers the risk of developing autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes.

SAUCE

Ingredients:
* Habanero pepper

* Ginger

* Garlic

* Onions

* Red bell pepper (tatashe)

* Seasoning

* Salt

*Groundnut oil

Preparation:

Put oil on fire, blend coarsely the pepper onions and spices or better still, pound them so it retains it’s major flavour.

When oil is hot, pour your pounded pepper, add your seasoning and salt and allow to fry until done. For the full recipe and pictures, view here.

Pack into a bowl and seal.

FISH PROCESSING

* The fish is prepared by de-scaling (removal of all the scales)

* Incision is made along the belly line (The coring process) and the intestines are removed.

* The fish is then washed and cored (This is when the surface of the fish is cut slightly to allow the spices used to penetrate. It aids marination)

After coring, the fish is then soaked in marinade or brushed with marinade which is usually a combination of ground dry red pepper, curry, dried ginger, oil, thyme, powdered onions, barbeque sauce, salt and seasonings.

* This is then covered in bowl and stored in fridge to marinate for about 4-5 hours… Sometimes for days.

GRILLING PROCESS

Now you have your pepper sauce and you have your marinated fish.

You oil your grill mesh so fish doesn’t stick on it while turning or a better way is to spray your fish with oil before putting on grill. Trust me; it works!

You activate your charcoal and coat the side to lay on the grill with  the pepper sauce before you place the fish on the grill.

Turning is very minimal (thrice at most).. the third is probably when you are lifting it off the grill.

* About 5mins on the grill, you brush the top of the fish generously with the pepper sauce.

* After 15mins, you turn the fish skillfully and apply the pepper sauce on the other side

… Let it grill for about 20mimutes, turn again and apply the sauce on the second side.

Leave for about 10mins and take off. This can be done in the case of grilling 1 to infinite fishes.

It gives the fish a very lovely taste both outward and inward.

Try this today and I bet it would be the most tasteful grilled fish recipe you have ever tried. Enjoy!

I'm a passionate professional chef. I run a food company called Baker's Cafe. I seek food knowledge and love to dispense it for your benefit alone.