Mukeke
🐟 Dried mukeke in peanut, tomato and pepper sauce, four portions without sides.
Ingredients
- 350 g food-grade dried mukeke, not heavily salted
- 300 g crushed ripe tomatoes
- 150 g sliced onion
- 120 g seeded green bell pepper, chopped
- 8 g chopped garlic
- 60 g pure unsweetened roasted peanut paste
- 20 g tomato paste
- 20 ml neutral vegetable oil
- 500 ml sauce water: 350 ml initially, 150 ml for paste
- 1 litre hot drinking water for rehydration, discarded
- Up to 100 ml extra hot water as needed
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- Up to 2 g salt, only after tasting cooked sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
Sort and briefly rinse fish; reject mouldy or rancid lots. Soak in one litre hot drinking water about 30 minutes according to product, without prolonged room-temperature waiting.
Prepare vegetables meanwhile. Drain and discard soaking water; remove hard fins and accessible bones, cut portions, and separate fish utensils.
Heat oil; soften onion five minutes, garlic one minute and tomato paste two minutes without burning.
Add tomatoes, pepper and nutmeg; cook 8–10 minutes, then add 350 ml water.
Add fish and gently simmer ten minutes, partly covered. Turn carefully rather than breaking pieces.
Smooth 60 g peanut paste with remaining 150 ml water; add and simmer gently 15–20 minutes, stirring bottom carefully.
Check fish is tender and fully cooked, at least 63 °C in thick flesh avoiding bones. Extend if needed; loosen with reserve water, add pepper and only then useful salt.
Serve four portions, warning about bones. Cool promptly, refrigerate and use within 24 hours after thorough reheating.