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Fish, Africa and overseas

Grilled fish mufete with sweet potato and plantain

Mufete is an Angolan dish built around grilled fish, here cod, served with sweet potato, plantain, red beans, and a vinegared onion salad. For 4 people, it takes 60 minutes at a medium difficulty level, for about €4.90 per person. The key to getting it right is crispy fish skin and onions that stay crunchy from the marinade.

Tonight, Angolan mufete, grilled fish served with beans, sweet potato, plantain, and pickled onions.

Grilled fish mufete with sweet potato and plantain
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.90
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring

Mufete is all about contrast, hot grilled fish, sweet roasted sweet potato and plantain, soft red beans, and sharp, crunchy pickled onions. It's a generous dish meant to be plated with everything side by side, so each element keeps its own texture instead of blending into one sauce.

This is a recipe for a weekend or an evening when you have a bit of time, since the oven and the stovetop run at once. It works well for a dinner with other adults or a family meal when everyone's curious to try a different cuisine, but it's less suited to rushed weeknights or kids who are picky about textures.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Cod fillets 700 g

Pantry

  • Canned red beansoften in the pantry 1 can
  • Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Sweet potatoes 2
  • Plantains 2
  • Red onions 2
  • Tomatoes 2
  • Lemon 1

Allergens Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the sweet potatoes and plantains into thick rounds and roast them in the oven at 200°C with 2 tablespoons of oil. 30 min

    Flip them halfway through so they brown on all sides.

  2. Thinly slice the onions and mix them with the vinegar, salt, and diced tomatoes.

    Let them marinate for at least 15 minutes so they soften.

  3. Warm the drained beans with 1 tablespoon of oil, the sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. 8 min

    Mash a few with a fork for a slightly creamy effect.

  4. Brush the fish with oil, lemon, salt, and pepper, then sear it in a hot skillet. 10 min

    Let the skin crisp up without touching it, it will release on its own.

  5. Plate the fish with the sweet potato, plantain, beans, and onion salad.

    Add the garnish to the fish right before serving, to keep the skin crisp.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick thick, dry cod fillets and pat them down before oiling them, so the skin actually sticks and crisps in the pan.
  • Make the onion salad first, before you even turn on the oven, so it has time to properly marinate while everything else cooks.
  • Cut the sweet potato and plantain to roughly the same thickness so they roast at the same rate in the oven.

The variations

  • Swap the cod for mackerel or a whole grilled sea bream, mufete is traditionally made with different kinds of fish.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the fish and double the red beans, seasoning them a bit more with the sweet paprika.
  • To save time, cook the sweet potato and plantain in thin slices in a skillet instead of the oven, which cuts the cooking time in half.

What to serve it with

  • An extra squeeze of lime
  • A cold light beer
  • A tropical fruit juice

Storage

Keep leftovers in separate sealed containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. The fish loses its crispness when reheated, so warm it gently in a skillet rather than the microwave. Freezing isn't recommended because of the texture of the fish and roasted vegetables.

Questions about this dish

Can you make mufete ahead of time?

You can roast the sweet potato and plantain and prepare the onion salad a few hours ahead. The fish should be grilled right before serving so the skin stays crisp.

What fish can you use instead of cod?

Another firm white fish like hake or monkfish works well. A whole grilled fish like sea bream or mackerel also pairs naturally with this dish.

Can you use dried beans instead of canned red beans?

Yes, but you'll need to soak and cook them the day before, since they take several hours to cook. Canned beans remain the quickest option for a weeknight.

Is mufete a good fit for kids?

It mixes some bold flavors, raw pickled onion and sweet paprika, which aren't always easy for kids' palates. You can serve them the fish, sweet potato, and plantain separately, without the onion salad.

How long does it take to make a grilled fish mufete with sweet potato and plantain?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a grilled fish mufete with sweet potato and plantain?

About 640 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a grilled fish mufete with sweet potato and plantain cost?

About €4.90 per serving, or €19.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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