Let's Get Cooking

Hey guys, what's up? Hope you're all good and happy. Speaking of which, today, we're going to talk about something that makes me very happy; Food! :D yaay. So, there's this lovely food blog I'll be introducing you to. The author is an Ikom woman (from Cross River), who loves the kitchen generally; she bakes, cooks, fries, juices, name it. The unique thing about her food blog is that, she loves to add a little twist to normal recipes as well as introduce us to new ones, (depending on your end) sometimes she also gives us the health benefits of what we are learning to make. I love to know what benefits what I'm eating will have on me, sometimes, it is for this reason I eat. I'll be posting her recipes from time to time so come and spice up your kitchen skills okay, or just add some recipes to your menu. Okay, enough with the chit chat. Today's meal is.... *drum roll*... Oven Baked Catfish

Extract from her blog; www.korje.com

Hello everyone. Happy Easter to you all. Today we are going to make catfish. Catfish is very popular in Nigeria. It is popularly referred to as ''Point and Kill'' because most times you point out which fish you want and it is killed and prepared immediately for you. I know many of us are used to eating it roasted or as pepper soup, but we are going to make it the way I like preparing it at home, baking in the oven. I wrap mine in plantain or banana leaves, the leaves give it a little extra flavour. If you can't get the leaves, you can use foil paper. Here's the recipe;

Ingredients
1 medium catfish, cut
2 stock cubes
1tbs dark soy sauce
2 fresh pepper
1 cut spring onions, the green part
1/2 tsp salt
A little ginger
Banana or plantain leaves

Method
Pound pepper and ginger together, set aside.

Wash the cat fish properly with lukewarm water. Put the fish in a put, add pepper mix, stock cubes, dark soy sauce and salt, mix well with your hand or a wooden spatula. Cover the pot and set aside for at least 45 minutes.

Separate the leaves from the vein in the middle with a knife. Gently run the leaves over fire so that it gets easy to work with and does not tear easily. Please do not leave it for too long over the fire so it does not burn. Wash the leaves by gently rubbing the palm of your hand over it with water. Cut the leaves into sizes that can comfortably wrap each piece of fish.

Place the fish pieces on the plantain leaf, sprinkle some of the spring onions and then wrap properly. Do so until all the fish pieces are wrapped. Place in a baking tray.

Pre-heat oven to 160C. Put the wrapped fish in the oven. After about 10 to 15 minutes, turn the fish over to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Bring out the fish, allow to cool a little then unwrap and serve with pepper sauce and potato chips.

Alright guys, try it and let us know how it turned out, okay? Lots of love... See you at the other side...