The Comoros: Swordfish M’tsolola with Coconut Rice; Tuna & Avocado Salad; Fakya Melon Salad & Cardamom Couscous with Puotou Sauce
The Comoros is a sovereign archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean. Located off the east coast of Africa, the Comoros Islands sit in the sea between the
African country of Mozambique and the Island of Madagascar. Near
neighbours include the African nation of Tanzania and the 115 islands that make
up the Republic of the Seychelles.
Officially known as the Union of the Comoros, this beautiful, actively
volcanic ocean country comprises three major islands and several smaller ones. Comorian
food is typically a diverse, eclectic fusion cuisine with East African food
traditions at its core. Those delicious African food roots are complimented by culinary
accents from France, the Middle East and Asia. Subtle spices such as vanilla,
cinnamon and cardamom fragrantly combine with seafood, citrus and tropical
fruits to create food that is a visual delight and a joy to eat.
Our Comoros menu included
Swordfish M’tsolola with Coconut Rice
Smoked Tuna & Avocado Salad
Fakya Melon Salad
&
Cardamom Couscous with Puotou Sauce
.......................................................................
SWORDFISH
M’TSOLOLA
Ingredients:
· 1 kg sword fish fillets
· 2 onion, finely diced
· 6 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
· 500 gm baby spinach
· 1 pinch nutmeg
· 1 tsp ground black pepper
· 1 tsp hot chilli paste
· 400 l coconut cream
· 400ml water
· 1 tsp salt, plus some extra to taste
Method:
1.
grind salt, chilli, pepper, onion, nutmeg and garlic
to a smooth paste either by hand in a mortar & pestle or in a food
processor
2.
Now add the spinach and grind to a paste (via either
method – food processor is faster)
3.
Place the water & half the coconut cream into a
large pot with the green paste
4.
Mix well and slowly bring the mix to a simmering boil
5.
Simmer the green sauce mix for about 25 minutes,
stirring occasionally to make a thick sauce (cover with a lid if it is getting
thick too quickly)
6. Whilst the sauce is reducing sear off the whole fish fillets/steak in
hot oil in a frypan or on the BBQ
7. Remove fish from the pan and cut it into bight size pieces
8. When the sauce is ready add the cut fish into the green sauce, gently
stir together and bring back to the simmer
9. Taste the sauce now and if it needs it add some more salt
10. Simmer the fish in the green sauce for 5 minutes
11. Stir in the rest of the coconut cream, gently bring back to the simmer
and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until fish is cooked & sauce is thick
12. Serve with coconut rice (or plain steamed basmati rice)
This Q_Zine original recipe is adapted from a Comorian
recipe found at:
COCONUT
RICE
Ingredients:
· 2 cups Basmati Rice
· 4 cups coconut milk
· ½ tsp ground sea salt
Method:
1.
wash rice in running water until water stops being
milky then shake to dry
2.
put rice in a medium pot with salt & coconut milk
3.
Slowly bring rice to boil, stirring often to stop rice
sticking to the bottom of the pot
4.
Once the rice has reached boiling point, give the pot
a very good stir with a wooden/coconut wood spoon making sure there is no rice
stuck to the bottom of the pot
5.
Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat down to low
& simmer for 10 minutes
6.
From this point do not take the lid off the pot until you
are ready to serve the rice. This will keep it moist & warm
7.
After 10 minutes turn the heat under the pot off and
let the pot sit on the cooling element for a minimum of 10 minutes before
serving
This is a Q_Zine original recipe informed by Comorian
food traditions as found at:
SMOKED
TUNA & AVOCADO SALAD
Ingredients:
· 300gm smoked Tuna (can be replaced with any smoked fish of your choice)
· 4 boiled eggs
· juice of 1 lime
· 4 tbs olive oil
· 2 Avocado, diced
· 1 red capsicum/bell pepper
Method:
1.
Dice smoked Tuna in bight sizes pieces
2.
Cut the boiled eggs in ¼ long ways then halve those
pieces
3.
Cut the avocado in similar size
4.
Deseed the capsicum and cut the flesh to match the
rest of the ingredients.
5.
Mix the first 4 ingredients together gently
6.
Add the lime juice & olive oil & gently mix
again
7.
Store in refrigerator until ready to serve
This is a Q_Zine original recipe adapted from a
Comorian recipe found at:
FAKYA
MELON SALAD
Ingredients:
· ½ a honey melon, deseeded, peeled & cut in cubes
· ½ a rock melon, deseeded, peeled & cut in cubes
· 2 apples, cored & cut in cubes
· 2 banana, peeled & cut in chunks
· 2 oranges
· juice of 1 lemon
· 2 tsp cinnamon sugar
· ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Method:
1.
Mix melons, apples & banana together in a bowl
2.
Take a small knife and cut the skin & pith off the
oranges
3.
Hand squeeze the orange skins over the fruit bowl to
add some orange oil & juice (then discard the skins)
4.
Cut the orange flesh into cubes and add to the fruit
bowl
5.
Mix the fruit together gently
6.
Add the lime juice & gently mix again
7.
Sprinkle the top of the fruit with the vanilla extract
& gently mix again
8.
Sprinkle the top of the fruit salad with the cinnamon
sugar
9.
Store in refrigerator until ready to serve
This Q_Zine original recipe is adapted from Comorian
recipe ideas found at:
CARDAMOM
COUSCOUS WITH PUOTOU SAUCE
Note: for this recipe we used instant couscous, prepared
with a teaspoon of cardamom seeds as we couldn’t find an authentic recipe for preparing Comorian Couscous.
Ingredients for Putou Sauce:
· 2 large tomatoes
· 4 shallots
· juice & zest of 1 lemon
· ¼ tsp crushed black pepper
· 1 tbs chopped fresh parsley
· large pinch salt
Method:
1.
de-core the tomatoes then chop them into small dice
2.
slice the shallots very thin
3.
chop the lemon zest fine
4.
mix all the ingredients together & wiz in food
processor to a chunky salsa texture
This is a Q_Zine original recipe adapted from a
Comorian recipe found at:
http://cuisine.aufeminin.com/forum/cuisine-comorienne-fd1706650
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