Fish Benachin
“Benachin” is served at all major social gatherings in The Gambia. Literally translated, it means “one pot” because it is prepared in a single piece of cookware. An imitation of the dish known as “Jollof Rice” is prepared in other West African English-speaking countries, Jollof or Wollof being one of the main ethnic groups in The Gambia. The recipe provided here is by Yabouy Home Cooking, an initiative of Ida Cham Njai, who invites visitors to spend a whole day with her savouring the experience of preparing the Benachin: starting with a shopping trip to the local market to buy the condiments and ingredients for the dish, through to the final stage of sitting around a communal bowl to consume the end product.
- One large fish (gutted but with the head on if so desired)
- vegetables cut into big chunks (bitter tomatoes, pumpkin, sweet potato, okra, aubergine, cabbage, carrot, cassava root, white radish)
- garlic
- black pepper
- onions
- spring onions
- one hot pepper (scotch bonnets)
- fresh tomatoes
- sweet pepper
- tomato paste
- carrot (diced very well)
- fresh sorrel leaves (similar to spinach)
- steamed broken rice
- fresh limes cut into wedges
- vegetable oil
Heat the oil in a large pan. Pound the garlic, peppers, onions and tomatoes with a pestle and mortar and add to the pot along with a healthy dollop of tomato paste. Cook on low heat for 15 mins, adding a little water now and then. When the mixture is very soft, add more water, the fish, and all the vegetables. Add sea salt and salted dried fish (such as anchovies) to taste. Let the stew simmer on very low heat for 1 hour. Then remove all ingredients, leaving the broth behind. Add the rice and diced carrots to the broth, cooking for some 30 mins or until the rice is ready. Serve on a platter, laying the vegetables and fish on top, with dollops of mashed and steamed sorrel leaves and lime wedges on the side.
Literally translated, it means “one pot” because it is prepared in a single piece of cookware.
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