Sangala

Ingredients

Fish

• 1whole large perch, about 2 kg, scaled and gutted
• or 4 thick fish steaks

Marinade

• juice of 3 limes
• 6garlic cloves, crushed
• 1thumb ginger, grated
• 3hot chillies, chopped
• 2 tspsalt
• 1 tspground black pepper
• 1 tsppaprika
• 3 tbspoil

To baste

• 3 tbspoil
• juice of 1 lime

To serve

• fried plantain
• chips
• ugali
• sliced raw onion and tomato
• lime wedges

Equipment

• a charcoal grill
• a fish cage or a well-oiled grill rack

Directions

1. Scale it from tail to head with the back of a knife. Work in a sink or outside, since scales fly everywhere. Gut it and rinse the cavity thoroughly.
2. Cut out the gills, which turn bitter when grilled. Trim the fins off with scissors. Cut deep diagonal slashes into the flesh on both sides. Cut down almost through to the bone. Space them about four centimetres apart.
3. Mix all the marinade ingredients into a paste. Rub it all over the whole fish. Work it deep into the slashes with your fingers. Cover it and refrigerate it for an hour. Do not leave it much longer in lime juice.
4. Take the fish out thirty minutes before it goes on the grill. A fridge-cold fish cooks unevenly. Set the grill about fifteen centimetres above them. Oil the grill bars generously. Brush the fish itself with oil as well. Grilling it takes some patience. Lay the fish on the hot grill. Do not move it for the first six or seven minutes.
5. Grill it for about fifteen minutes on the first side. Turning it needs one confident movement. Turn it in one motion rather than several attempts. Grill the second side for another twelve to fifteen minutes.
6. Mix the oil with the lime juice. Brush it over the fish each time you check it. Start basting only after the first ten minutes. Checking it is done matters with a large fish.
7. Cut the fish into thick steaks. Dredge them lightly in seasoned flour. Fry them in deep oil at about 180C. Fry them for five or six minutes a side until golden. Serving it is done hot and communally. Lay the whole grilled fish on a board or a platter. Scatter sliced raw onion and tomato over it. Serve lime wedges for squeezing.

Technique

• Score the fish deeply, which lets the marinade in and helps it cook evenly.
• Do not marinate in lime juice much beyond an hour, as the acid starts to cure the surface.
• Use a hinged fish cage if you have one, since a large fish breaks apart when turned.

Substitutions

• Any large firm freshwater or white sea fish.
• A very hot oven grill if you have no charcoal.

Variations

• Cut into steaks and deep-fried.
• Stewed in tomato and onion sauce.
• Made much hotter, with far more chilli.

History

Landed at Bujumbura’s lakeshore markets and cooked at the open-air fish grills along the beach road.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sangala?

Sangala is a main from Burundi: nile perch from Lake Tanganyika grilled or fried whole with chilli. Landed at Bujumbura’s lakeshore markets and cooked at the open-air fish grills along the beach road.

How long does Sangala take to make?

Sangala takes 30 min plus 1 hour marinating of preparation and 35 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Sangala?

Yes, within limits. Any large firm freshwater or white sea fish. A very hot oven grill if you have no charcoal.

What is the most important thing to get right in Sangala?

Mix all the marinade ingredients into a paste. Rub it all over the whole fish. Work it deep into the slashes with your fingers. Cover it and refrigerate it for an hour. Do not leave it much longer in lime juice.