Sudani White Nile Fish

Trust me, there's fish under there!

Hands down, I think this is my favorite dish, so far.

I based this recipe upon one I found on the blog of an interesting guy named Mark Tanner. He learned to cook many Sudani dishes while staying in Khartoum, and the flavors in this dish just sounded so fresh, a lovely blend of sweet and savory.

Here's how I made it.

2-3 Tbsp oil

2 onions, sliced into rings

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 Tbsp dried cilantro

Cracked pepper, to taste

2 bell peppers, sliced into rings

2 tomatoes, sliced

4-6 pieces fish (about 6-8 oz. each of perch, cod, haddock, etc.)

1 medium sweet potato, thinly sliced

1 carrot, thinly sliced

1 lemon

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup dried apricots, cut into quarters

Preheat oven to 375°. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, oven-safe, high-sided plan. Sauté the onions for a couple minutes, then add the garlic and salt. When the onions are slightly browned, add the tomato paste, coriander, cumin seeds, cilantro and cracked pepper. Juice half the lemon into the pan and stir to blend.

Once the base is nicely combined and seasoned to your liking, layer the remaining ingredients in the pan. Start with the potato and carrots, then top with the fish, bell pepper rings and tomato slices. Sprinkle the golden raisins and apricots over the top.

Cover and transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the fish cooked, approximately 15 minutes. Serve one fish piece per person, with wedges from the remaining half of the lemon.

Cook’s Note: According to the author of the original recipe, this dish is best served with a pasta bake, but I prefer a lighter meal.