Abala

🍚 Six savoury steamed rice-flour portions with onion, fully cooked smoked fish and red palm oil, adapted for ramekins.

Ingredients

• 240 g fine white rice flour
• 360 ml drinking water
• 120 g hot-smoked fully cooked fish, skin and bones removed
• 100 g finely blended onion
• 30 ml food-grade red palm oil
• Small piece chilli, optional
• Up to ¼ tsp salt
• 5 ml neutral oil for six ramekins

Preparation

Check fish is already cooked, remove all bones and flake. Blend onion and optional chilli. Oil six heatproof food-safe 200 ml ramekins.

Mix rice flour and water into a thick dropping paste. Mix in onion, palm oil, fish and a little salt. Divide between ramekins, at most two-thirds full.

Place in a stable steamer basket above simmering water, without water contact. Cover and steam about one hour from return of steam.

Maintain steady steam; check water and top up with boiling water as needed without pouring into cakes.

Check centre is set, fully hot and free of raw flour or liquid batter. Extend cooking if needed, especially with larger pots.

Remove with steam protection, rest ten minutes, then unmould or serve in ramekins. Six portions, sauces and vegetables separate.