Roasted Fish and Roasted Plantains
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Cook time: 
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Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • one whole tilapia(cleaned and gutted)
  • One medium sized ripe plantain
  • one medium habanero pepper? Ata-rodo
  • one small red bell pepper or tatase
  • one small onion cut into two chuncks
  • One small garlic clove(optional)
  • one finger of red cayenne or chili pepper
  • one finger of green cayenne or chili pepper
  • 1plum tomatoes
  • salt to taste
  • Half of one whole knorr cube or a small bouillon
  • 1tbsp grinded crayfish or shrimp paste
  • 1½-2tbsps of cooking oil(for cooking)
  • ½tbsp olive oil for tomato puree
for pickled onion
  • one really small onion or shallots
  • one small finger of cayenne pepper or habanero pepper(if you can stand the heat)
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1tsp of vinegar
Instructions
  1. wash and pat fish dry, score the sides with a sharp knife and set aside
  2. blend all your chilis and peppers, the knorr cube, ½tbsp of oil and one of the onion chunks.
  3. pour out half of it then add the tomatoes to the remaining half in the blender and puree
  4. season the fish with salt; then using some of the puree you poured out of the blender, give the fish a nice rub making sure you get into the nooks and crannies of the fish :)
  5. Sit the fish in the refrigerator for an hour or more to marinate.
  6. Slice up the onion or shallots along with with some chilies. Season with salt and vinegar and let it sit in the refrigerator to pickle until the food is ready
  7. Pre heat your oven to 350degrees
  8. Peel your plantain, by cutting through the skin with a knife. Score the sides of the plantain and sit it in a foil wrapper or non stick oven tray and spray with some oil(optional). Put the plantain into the oven and let it roast
  9. Remove the fish from the refrigerator and heat up a non stick pan(you may also spray the pan with some oil this is optional depending on you and your pan mostly). Carefully sear the fish on both sides and transfer into non stick oven tray or roasting pan(you may even sear it on a griddle or pan that is heat resistant and can go into the oven). But before you transfer the fish into the oven, use the remaining of the puree that you poured out or the blender and marinate the fish again; then into the oven it goes to roast along side the plantain
  10. Once the plantain is nicely browned, remove it from the oven and let it cool before cutting it up(You want your plantain to be nicely browned and a little moist on the inside, No one wants a dry looking or tasting plantain :)
  11. While the fish is cooking, heat up 1½- 2tbsps of oil in a sauce pan, slice and throw in the other half of the onion and the garlic clove. Sauté for two minutes; then add the grinded crayfish or shrimp paste and sauté for another minute, making sure it does not burn(use medium to low heat for this process). Pour in the tomato and chili puree and let it cook. Check for seasonings and add salt if needed. Once the oil floats to the top and the stew looks a bit darker; then it is done
  12. Check on the fish, once it is done, quickly brush on some of the stew on it and let it sit and soak up the tomatoes. Cut the plantains into whatever sizes that you would prefer, pour some stew over it and toss. Serve with the picked onion and pepper mix
Notes: you may season your plantain with salt and some dry chili peppers before roasting. I usually do not; as it is sweet enough for my taste buds :)
Recipe by Nigerian Lazy Chef at https://www.nigerianlazychef.com/2015/03/fish-and-plantains/