How to cook Fish Curry and Nsima
Food is always part of a culture and during my travels I have collected quite a few African recipes. These recipes will have your kitchen smelling like an African restaurant. During my stay in Malawi, I met Samson, a local chef at my favorite hostel at Cape Maclear, “The Funky Cichild”. I was fortunate enough to enjoy Samson´s Fish Curry, as well as, getting a brief on the staple food in Malawi, which is Nsima and fish. Nsima is a thick maize porridge, made from maize meal and water, and is either paired with fish, beef or chicken. The locals favorite fish is known to be Bonya, Chambo and Kampango. Kampango is a catfish that is the base for the Fish Curry. Chef Samson served the Fish Curry with Nsima, and it was so delicious, I had to get the recipe. Fortunately for you, Samson shared it with me and we also took a video of how to cook the meal. Find the video on the bottom of this post.
Fish Curry Recipe
Have a look at these notes on what you need for Fish Curry and Nsima for 2 people:
- 600 grams of Kampango filet (if you don’t have Kampango you can use any other fish instead)
- 200 grams of maize meal (instead you can eat it with rice as well)
- 4 small tomatoes
- curry powder (spicy or mild as you like it)
- garlic
- 1 small onion
- salt and pepper
- 1 small green pepper
- coriander
- chili powder
- 1 pan
- wooden spoon
- 1 pot
- butter or oil
- 2 cups of water
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How to prepare Fish Curry:
Clean, filet and portion the fish first. Melt butter or heat oil in a pan. Chop the garlic, onion and green pepper and fry everything in a pan. Once ready, add the fish, coriander, curry powder, chili powder and blended tomatoes. Let everything cook for about 10 minutes until the fish is tender. In the meantime, you can start preparing the Nsima. Heat up water but don’t boil it. Start sprinkling maize meal and keep on stirring it with a wooden spoon. Why the Malawians use a wooden spoon? You have to keep stirring the mixture for quite some time and so the pot is not peeling. Once it starts bubbling add the rest of the flower so that it’s getting thick. Keep on stirring it for 5 more minutes. Ready to be served.
READ NEXT:
Banku and Okro Stew – a traditional Ghanaian dish
Quarkkeulchen – a traditional German dish
Beef Stew with Samp and Beans – a traditional South African dish
How to eat it?
There is a special way of how the Malawians eat. First, you need to wash your hands. With your hand take a bit of the Nsima and form it into a little ball. Pick up a bit of the Fish Curry and eat everything together.
Bon Appetit!
Watch my video and cook along with me:
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Would you like to read and see more about my Africa trips? Here we go!
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Mimi At Lnf
Posted at 09:32h, 20 DecemberWe have curry fish often, espcially being from Haiti. My only question would be, after washing your hands, do you dry your hands with a towel afterwards? I did not see that in the video. It’s amazing to see how food is transformed and treated around the world, but at the same time the ending result is always so delicious. I’m sur you had a blast!
Claudia Bartsch
Posted at 01:01h, 21 DecemberI had an amazing time that´s true. We didn´t dry our hands after washing them. Fish Curry from Haiti sounds interesting. Is there a different way of preparing it?