Firire (Senegalese Fried Fish with Sauce)
Firire is a dish loved by most Senegalese people. It is usually eaten as dinner and can be served with bread or fresh green salad.
Ingredients
- Whole fish, cleaned
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- Chile powder
- Ground red pepper to taste
- 1 medium-sized (250 g) onion, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
- ½ green pepper, sliced along its length
- Lettuce
- 1 medium-sized cucumber, peeled and sliced
- Plantain, peeled and sliced
- 2 medium-sized cherry tomatoes
Method
- Wash the fish very well and make slashes along the body.
- Combine the garlic, mustard, vinegar, chile powder, red pepper, onions, and a pinch of salt. Rub on the fish, and leave to marinate for 15 minutes.
- Scrape the onions off the fish, and reserve them.
- Heat the oil in a pan over moderate heat. Add the fish, and fry on both sides until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Add the marinated onions to the pan. Fry until browned, stirring every 2–3 minutes.
- Stir in the green pepper. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 7 minutes. Set aside this sauce.
- Combine a dash of vinegar, oil, and mustard to make a dressing. Toss the dressing with the lettuce and cucumber. Set aside
- Fry the plantain, and season with salt to taste.
- Arrange the salad in a dish, and place the fish in the center. Garnish with tomatoes and plantains. Serve with the reserved sauce.
Notes
- You can enjoy the firire with bread instead of plantains. It is also excellent with mayonnaise.