The Congo: Fish and Greens with Red Bean Rice and Banana Chutney
This is a tale of two countries and one mighty river, The Congo. Weaving its way through the green heart of equatorial Africa, The Congo is the deepest river in the World. It is also the watery border dividing its namesake countries The Republic of Congo (previously French Congo), and The Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly known as Zaire and Belgian Congo).
But these countries weren’t always divided. Most of the land that now forms these two modern nations was once part of the powerful African Kingdom of Congo that controlled much of western and central Africa between the 14th and 19th centuries. Separated and colonised by France and Belgium in the 1800s both countries achieved independence in 1960. They have unique political histories yet these two countries share significant culinary history.
Congolese food traditions are bound together by two natural forces, the abundant Congo River and the enormous Rainforest it feeds. Taking up 500 million acres, the Congo Rainforest wilderness leaves only pockets of land for subsistence farming. Key ingredients in this resourceful cuisine include maize (corn), cassava, sweet potato, pumpkin, banana, and green leaves. These vegetables are typically served with a sauce made from tomato, onion, aromatic herbs and hot peppers alongside fish, goat, or chicken. Whilst Congolese food practices do show elements of adaptation due to colonisation (for example the adoption of French culinary techniques such as confit of meat), its roots remain solidly based in Central and Western African cuisine.
Our
Congo Menu
included
Fish and Greens
with
Red Bean Rice
and
Banana Chutney
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The Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo
FISH AND GREENS
NOTE:
The most traditional Central African cooking method for this dish would be a heavy boiling pot over a fire. To recreate this effect in a domestic kitchen, use a Dutch Oven on your stove top.
INGREDIENTS:
· 800gm fish fillets (Red Snapper, Cod etc) skinned
· 500 gm greens (spinach, sorrel, collards, kale etc), washed
· 1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
· 2 cups whole stewed tomatoes (or use 2 cans whole skinned tomatoes)
· 3 tbs vegetable oil (peanut or similar)
· 3 garlic cloves, crushed
· ½ tsp paprika
· Cayenne Pepper, Ground Red Pepper or fresh chopped chilli to taste
· salt and pepper to taste
· ½ cup water
METHOD:
1. If you are using larger greens such as Kale or Chard de-stem and chop (if using baby greens disregard this step)
2. Cut fish into serving size portions and season with salt, pepper and paprika
3. Heat oil in Dutch oven on top of the stove and briefly fry fish on both sides to lightly sear then remove from the pan and put aside for later on a plate
4. Now add the onion to the hot oil, turn the heat back to low and sauté gently until the onion becomes translucent
5. Add in the crushed garlic and sauté briefly
6. Add in the tomatoes (and their juice if using canned ones), hot peppers to taste and water and if needed salt and pepper
7. Stir well and bring to the boil gently mixing with a wooden spoon and crushing the tomatoes slightly with the spoon
8. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 mins to begin forming a sauce
9. What you do next depends on if you are using large or baby greens
10. If using larger chopped greens, they will need to be cooked so stir them
into the tomato sauce and simmer for at least 5 mins until wilted
11. If using baby greens such as baby spinach just lay them on top of the
tomato sauce and press them a little into the sauce (don’t mix them in)
and just let them wilt from the steaming tomato sauce for a few minutes
12. Now lay the pre-seared fish back onto the spinach
13. Make sure the pot is on a low-heat simmer and cover the pot with a lid
14. Cook the fish this way for about 15 mins or until cooked through. It will
be surprisingly firm yet tender
15. If the greens and tomato sauce are not fully combined and still a bit
thin/watery when fish is done take the fish out and bring the sauce to a
gentle boil and reduce until it is thick
16. Serve the fish on a bed of the greens or serve the pot on the table
RED BEAN RICE
INGREDIENTS:
· 2 cups Basmati Rice
· 1 x 400 g tin Red Beans
· 3 bay leaves
· ¼ tsp garlic salt
· 1 tsp salt
· 2 pinches nutmeg
· Up to 4 cups water
METHOD:
1. Drain the red beans and keep the liquid - could be around ½ a cup of liquid
2. Add water to the red bean liquid to make total of 4 cups of liquid
3. Put the liquid, rice, bay leaves and salts in a medium size pot that has a solid base (and a tight fitting lid which will be needed later)
4. Bring the rice to the boil stirring often with a wooden spoon to ensure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot
5. Once rice is boiling add in the red beans, stir and bring back to boil
6. Place on a tight fitting lid to the pot
7. Turn the heat back to low and cook for 10 mins
8. from this point don’t take the lid off again until ready to serve
9. After 10 minutes turn the heat off and let the pot sit on the stove top on the cooling element for 10 minutes
10. When you are ready to go fluff the rice with a fork before serving
BANANA CHUTNEY
INGREDIENTS:
· 4-5 very ripe bananas, or two plantain, peeled and mashed with a fork
· 2 large lemons, de-seeded and chopped
· 2 heaped tbs raisins
· 1/4 cup sugar
· 1 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, crushed
· 1 tbs fresh grated ginger
· ½ tsp ground cinnamon
· ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
· 2 hot chilli, diced (optional)
METHOD:
1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy based sauce pan
2. Simmer over a medium heat for about 15-20 mins stirring often
3. Cook until fruit is soft and tender and mixture is thick
4. spoon into a sterilized jar/s cover with lid and allow to cool
5. place in the refrigerator for 2 days to allow flavours to ripen before using with stews etc
These recipes are all Q-Zine originals informed by numerous sources including (though not limited to) the following websites:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congolese_cuisine
http://www.congocookbook.com/fish-and-seafood-recipes/fish-and-greens
http://www.congocookbook.com/fish-and-seafood-recipes/fish-with-sorrel/
https://pauldelancey.com/2013/06/10/banana-chutney-from-zaire/
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