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While being a very meaty fish, tilapia is also very versatile and when filleted can be quite light. Tilapia can handle a strong marinade but also succumbs very nicely to this more delicate version. If you’re used to a bit of punch, why not try making a red or Green Kpakpo Shito Salsa to serve alongside it?

2 skin-on tilapia fillets
rapeseed oil or coconut oil,
for shallow-frying

MARINADE

1 small red onion, finely diced
5cm (2-inch) piece fresh root ginger, grated unpeeled if organic)
2 green kpakpo shito (cherry) chillies, deseeded and finely
diced, or substitute green habanero chillies
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon rapeseed oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons ground grains of paradise, or substitute ¼ teaspoon
ground mace or ½ teaspoon
ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together in a bowl. Add the tilapia fillets and turn to coat in the marinade, cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1–2 hours.

Remove the tilapia from the fridge a few minutes before you’re ready to cook. Heat a little rapeseed oil or coconut oil in a frying pan, add the tilapia fillets, skin-side down, and cook until the edges are crisp. You should find that the fish cooks from underneath in about 8 minutes, as the citrus marinade will have started to gently cook the fish already. You can spoon a little of the hot oil over the top of the fish to finish off the cooking.

Serve on a bed of plain boiled rice with some Green Kpakpo Shito Salsa on top.

Green Kpakpo Shito Salsa

Makes 125-130g

When I last visited Ghana and was trying to ascertain the name of the small cherry-sized chilli used for this fresh, green, spicy salsa that was served with my grilled tilapia, everyone I spoke to responded with ‘shito’. The same happened when I held up a Scotch Bonnet or, in fact, any chilli. It took a while surveying
and questioning different market traders at Kaneshie Market in Accra
before I eventually found the specific name of the kpakpo shito for these
cherry chillies. Serve this salsa as an accompaniment to any rice or yam dish.

TIP The finer you chop the ingredients initially, the easier the mixture will be to grind.

100g (3½oz) green kpakpo shito (cherry) chillies, roughly
chopped (or any other hot green chilli, such as green
bird’s-eye, jalapeno, habanero or scotch bonnet)
2 red or white onions, finely diced
2.5cm (1-inch) piece fresh root ginger, grated (unpeeled
if organic)
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

Using a mortar and pestle, or a traditional Ghanaian asanka pot if you have one, grind all the ingredients to a very coarse paste. Alternatively, use a blender or food processor and process gently in brief pulses to retain the coarse texture rather than creating a smooth purée.

TO MAKE RED PEPPER SHITO SALSA: substitute hot red chillies for the green chillies and add 4 medium tomatoes, deseeded and diced. To intensify the flavours of the Red Shito Salsa and extend its shelf life, simmer the mixture for
20–25 minutes, then leave to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen by Zoe Adjonyoh is published by Mitchell Beazley,