Fish

You know that feeling of excitement you have when you have something new to cook but it ends up backfiring/ disappointing you? That was me a few months ago. I tried deep frying fish and the outcome was disappointing. The fish stuck to the pan that made the skin come off, the final presentation was horrible. On the bright side however, the fish was cooked on the inside and very edible.

I came to discover that one of the best places to get fresh fish is in Naivasha, it’s an hour’s drive from Nairobi and you can get all types of fish at an affordable price. The fish I got cost KES. 300.

Given my previous experience, I decided to try something different, to grill the fish on the jiko. There is something about cooking with the jiko that makes me appreciate the cooking process. It makes me value the history of cooking.

First I marinated the fish using:

Garlic
Ginger
Salad oil
Onions
Coriander
Chillies
Lemon juice
Soy sauce

The process:

First make cuts on the fish, this is to allow the fish to cook properly and evenly. This also helps all the flavors of the marinade integrate with the fish.

Next mix all the ingredients together then coat the fish with the marinade. Ensure the fish is properly coated from the outside to the inside. Let this sit in the fridge for about 30 min to an hour.

Get your jiko ready. Ensure the heat in the jiko is low, if it is too much then the fish will burn on the outside.

Once you have placed your fish on the grill, give it about 15- 20 minutes on every side for it to fully cook. Once you’re happy, you can plate it and enjoy it with your choice of carbs or veggies.

NB: For the fish not to stick on the grill, ensure you apply some cooking oil on the grill and the fish as well.

The fish turned out great, the marinade did its magic and the fish was very tasty.