Samaki wa Kupaka — Print Recipe

Whole fish grilled over charcoal then basted with a rich, tangy coconut and tamarind sauce until the flavors penetrate every bite.

Ingredients

1 Score the fish deeply on both sides, rub with salt, turmeric, and lime juice, marinate twenty minutes.
2 Prepare coconut sauce by simmering coconut milk with tamarind, garlic, ginger, and chili until thickened.
3 Grill fish over medium charcoal for eight minutes per side until skin is crispy and charred.
4 Baste generously with coconut-tamarind sauce during the last few minutes of grilling.
5 Continue basting and turning until the sauce caramelizes onto the fish surface.
6 Serve on banana leaves with remaining sauce poured over and lime wedges alongside.

Did You Know?

Kupaka means "to smear" in Swahili, referring to the generous basting of coconut sauce that gives this dish its distinctive glazed appearance.