Gabon | Main dish

Smoked Fish with Plantains

Name: Smoked Fish with Plantains
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Gabon, Central Africa
Ingredients: 300 g smoked fish, deboned and flaked; 4 whole ripe plantains, peeled and sliced diagonally; 3 medium tomatoes, chopped; 1 large onion, sliced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; ½ cup water or light fish stock; 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper, sliced or left whole; ½ cup vegetable oil, for frying plantains and sauce; salt and black pepper, to taste

A simple Gabonese-style plate of fried ripe plantains topped with smoked fish simmered in tomato, onion, garlic, and chile.

Country

Gabon

Region

Central Africa

Time

45 min

Serves

Level

easy

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01 / Get ready

Everything you need

Tap each ingredient as you gather it. Illustrations are visual guides; follow the ingredient names and quantities.

Servings 4

Scale the dish before you shop, then use the checklist while you cook.

Jump to method My cookbook

Ingredients

For 4 servings

Main dish

Fish

300 g smoked fish, deboned and flaked [Sub: smoked mackerel]

Plantain

4 whole ripe plantains, peeled and sliced diagonally

Sauce

3 medium tomatoes, chopped 1 large onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup water or light fish stock

Heat

1 whole scotch bonnet pepper, sliced or left whole (optional)

Cooking

½ cup vegetable oil, for frying plantains and sauce

Pantry

salt and black pepper, to taste

A few kitchen essentials

Suggested from the recipe method. Use equivalent equipment you have.

Lidded pot

Knife & board

02 / Let’s cook

One step at a time

Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.

Back to Gabon

4 steps 15 min prep 30 min cook (check method) 45 min total easy

Fry plantains

Fry plantain slices in oil until golden on both sides. Drain and keep warm.

Fry plantains 07:00

Cook the sauce

Pour off excess oil, leaving a little in the pan. Cook onion until soft, then add garlic, tomato, chile, salt, and pepper.

Cook sauce 10:00

Add smoked fish

Add smoked fish and water or stock. Simmer gently until the fish flavors the sauce.

Kitchen noteStir gently so the fish stays in flakes.

Simmer fish 05:00

Serve

Arrange plantains on a plate and spoon the smoked fish sauce over the top.

Some homes keep the sauce dry and chunky; others loosen it with fish stock and serve it over rice.

Cooking notes, photos & serving ideas

Recipe context

More about this dish

Serving ideas, regional context, and cooking cues for when you want more detail.

When to cook it

Best for Weeknight dinner, everyday meals. Plan on a easy cook. Allow about 45 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Steamed rice, cassava, cucumber salad, or extra fried plantain

Regional lane

Gabon national table. A structured Gabon dish in the AfroKitchen archive.

Chef watch-outs

Adding too much liquid after the rice goes in.
Stirring too often once the grains should be steaming.
Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.

How you know it is ready

The grains should be tender but still distinct, with steam carrying the seasoning upward.
The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.

Recipe photos

See the dish before you cook

Take a closer look at the dish and its serving ideas.

Smoked Fish with Plantains recipe from Gabon — Smoked Fish with Plantains finished dish

Chef board

Build the table around Smoked Fish with Plantains

Steamed rice, cassava, cucumber salad, or extra fried plantain

Best route from here

Gabon national table

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