🇸🇱 Sierra Leonean Cuisine

Freetown Grilled Fish

Charcoal-Grilled Whole Fish

Prep Time 50 min

Servings 4

Difficulty Medium

Calories 338 kcal

Whole fish marinated in a spicy pepper-onion paste, grilled over charcoal until smoky and charred, served with a fiery pepper sauce.

Ingredients

2 whole tilapia or barracuda, cleaned and scored
3 scotch bonnet peppers, blended
2 large onions, blended
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, grated
Juice of 3 limes
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 bouillon cubes, crushed
Salt to taste

Instructions

1 Blend scotch bonnet, onions, garlic, and ginger into a paste.
2 Mix paste with lime juice, oil, crushed bouillon, and salt.
3 Score fish deeply on both sides, rub marinade inside and out.
4 Marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour.
5 Grill over medium charcoal heat for 8-10 minutes per side, basting with remaining marinade.
6 Serve immediately with pepper sauce and fried plantains.

Did You Know?

The best grilled fish in Sierra Leone is found at the beach bars along Lumley Beach in Freetown, where the fish goes from ocean to grill in under an hour.