🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissauan Cuisine

Siga de Peixe

Smoked Fish Rice

Prep Time 40 min

Servings 4

Difficulty Easy

Calories 438 kcal

A one-pot rice dish infused with smoked fish, palm oil, and aromatic vegetables — the everyday comfort food of Guinea-Bissauan families.

Ingredients

2 cups long-grain rice
300g smoked fish, flaked and deboned
100ml red palm oil
2 medium onions, diced
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 eggplant, cubed
2 scotch bonnet peppers
1 bouillon cube
Salt to taste
500ml water

Instructions

1 Heat palm oil in a large pot. Sauté onions until golden, about 5 minutes.
2 Add tomatoes and scotch bonnet peppers. Cook until a thick paste forms.
3 Add eggplant cubes. Cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened.
4 Add water, bouillon cube, and flaked smoked fish. Bring to a boil.
5 Add washed rice. Stir once, cover tightly, and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
6 Do not lift the lid during cooking. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Did You Know?

In Guinea-Bissau, the crusty rice at the bottom of the pot — called socarrat locally — is considered the most delicious part and is fought over at family meals.