Restaurant-Style Thieboudienne with Fish Stock and Nététou

Method

1. Rinse the fish heads and bones in cold water to wash off any blood. Put them in a 22 cm pot with the stock water and bay leaves, bring almost to the boil over high heat, then turn down to medium-low heat and let it barely bubble for 20 min, skimming off the foam. A hard boil makes the stock cloudy. Strain through a fine sieve. While it simmers, pound the parsley, garlic, spring onions and green chilli with the rof salt and pepper into a rof, stuff it into deep slits in the fish and rub the rest over. Marinate in the fridge for 30 min, and rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then drain.

   Add in this stepFish heads and bones (gills removed) 300 gWater (for the stock) 1,500 mlBay leaves 1Bone-in white fish steaks (grouper or sea bream) 440 gFlat-leaf parsley (for the rof) 20 gGarlic cloves (for the rof) 4Spring onions (for the rof) 2Green chilli (for the rof) ½Salt (for the rof) ¾ tspBlack pepper (for the rof) ½ tsp

   high heat→medium-low heat

2. Pat the fish dry and heat the oil in a 26 cm heavy pot over medium-high heat. Lower the fish in away from you so the oil doesn't splash, and fry for 4 min in total, turning once, until golden on both sides. Work in batches if they don't fit in one layer. Only colour the outside, then lift out.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 5 tbsp

   medium-high heat

3. In the same oil, cook the onion and green pepper over medium heat, then add the grated tomato; cook for 7 min in total, until the tomato juice has evaporated and the mixture is thick enough that a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a clear line.

   Add in this stepOnion, finely chopped 1Green bell pepper, finely chopped ½Ripe tomatoes, grated 1

   medium heat

4. Add the tomato paste and nététou and fry over medium-low heat for 6 min, stirring often, until deep brick red with oil seeping out at the edges. Nététou smells strong while it fries, but it mellows into deep savouriness in the broth.

   Add in this stepTomato paste 3 tbspNététou (fermented locust beans, also sold as iru) or fish sauce 1 tsp

   medium-low heat

5. Pour in the strained fish stock, add the whole chilli, carrot, cassava and radish, bring to the boil over high heat, then turn down to medium heat and simmer for 12 min. Add the cabbage, eggplant and fish and simmer 13 min more, until the fish flakes easily and the vegetables are tender. Lift everything out carefully, spoon over a little broth and cover. Leave 380 ml of broth in the pot and keep the rest to serve on the side. Season it decisively now.

   Add in this stepScotch bonnet chilli, whole 1Carrot, halved 1Cassava or sweet potato, in large chunks 150 gWhite radish or turnip, in large chunks 120 gWhite cabbage, in wedges 200 gEggplant, in large chunks ½

   high heat→medium heat

6. Add the rice, season with salt, stir once and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Level it, seal tightly with foil and the lid, turn down to low heat and cook for 22 min without stirring, until the grains are tender and the broth is absorbed.

   Add in this stepBroken jasmine rice 180 gSalt to taste

   medium-high heat→low heat

7. Now the xoon: leave the lid on, raise the heat to medium heat for 3 min. When you hear a gentle crackle from the bottom and smell toasted rice, turn off the heat. If it smells burnt, switch off at once.

   medium heat

8. Loosen the tamarind paste with some reserved broth into a sauce; mash in a little cooked chilli for a hot version. Mound the rice on a large platter, arrange the vegetables and fish on top, lift the crust out of the pot in big pieces to serve alongside, and add the lime wedges and sauce.

   Add in this stepTamarind paste (for the sauce) 1½ tspLime, in wedges ½