Capitaine grille

Ingredients

Fish

• 1whole capitaine, about 2 kg
• or 1 whole Nile perch or firm white fish
• juice of 3 limes
• 2 teaspoonssalt
• black pepper

Marinade

• 6garlic cloves, crushed
• 1onion, grated
• 3cm ginger, grated
• 3 tablespoonsoil
• 1stock cube, crumbled
• 1 teaspoonchilli powder
• 1 tablespoonmustard, optional

Onion relish

• 3onions, thinly sliced
• 2tomatoes, chopped
• 1chilli, chopped
• juice of 2 limes
• 2 tablespoonsoil
• 1stock cube
• salt to taste

To serve

• attieke, fermented cassava couscous
• or chips
• lime wedges

Directions

1. Scale it from tail to head with a knife. Gut it and rinse the cavity thoroughly. Pull out the dark line along the backbone. That line goes bitter if it is left in. Trim the fins with kitchen scissors. Pat the whole fish dry with kitchen paper. Cut four deep slashes into each side.
2. Cut right down to the bone each time. Those slashes let the heat into the thick flesh. Rub the lime juice and salt all over the fish. Work it well into the slashes and the cavity.
3. Mix the garlic, onion, ginger, oil and spices together. Add the mustard if you are using it. Rub that paste over the whole fish.
4. Let it sit for an hour in a cool place. Longer than two hours and the lime starts to cook it. Wait until the coals are covered in grey ash. Spread the coals into an even bed. Oil the grill bars well before the fish goes on. Fish skin sticks to a dry grill immediately.
5. Lay the fish on and leave it completely alone. Give it about eight minutes on the first side. Turn it once only with a wide slice. Give it another eight minutes on the second side.
6. Baste it with the leftover marinade as it cooks. A large fish may need twenty minutes a side. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add all the thinly sliced onions. Cook them for about ten minutes until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and the chilli.
7. Crumble the stock cube into it. Cook it down for another five minutes. Squeeze in the lime juice at the end. It should be soft, sharp and well seasoned. Set the whole fish out for the table. Spoon the onion relish over it generously. Serve attieke or chips alongside.

Technique

• Capitaine is the French name for Nile perch, which is native to the Niger River and is Mali’s prestige fish.
• The same species introduced into Lake Victoria in the nineteen fifties drove many endemic cichlids to extinction, though in the Niger it belongs naturally.

Substitutions

• Sea bass, grouper or barramundi all grill the same way at a smaller size.
• Chips replace attieke where fermented cassava couscous is not available.

Variations

• Some grills stuff the cavity with onion and herbs before cooking.
• A version fried rather than grilled is sold at some stalls.
• Smaller river fish are grilled the same way across the Sahel.

History

Nile perch from the Niger River is Mali’s prestige fish, sold whole at Bamako and Mopti grills and served with attieke or fries.

Frequently asked questions

What is Capitaine grille?

Capitaine grille is a main from Mali: whole Niger River perch grilled over coals with onion, chili and lime. Nile perch from the Niger River is Mali’s prestige fish, sold whole at Bamako and Mopti grills and served with attieke or fries.

How long does Capitaine grille take to make?

Capitaine grille takes 30 minutes plus marinating of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Capitaine grille?

Yes, within limits. Sea bass, grouper or barramundi all grill the same way at a smaller size. Chips replace attieke where fermented cassava couscous is not available.

What is the most important thing to get right in Capitaine grille?

Scale it from tail to head with a knife. Gut it and rinse the cavity thoroughly. Pull out the dark line along the backbone. That line goes bitter if it is left in. Trim the fins with kitchen scissors. Pat the whole fish dry with kitchen paper. Cut four deep slashes into each side.