How to make it
8 steps. Take it one step at a time.
Prepare the 'rof'
Prepare the 'rof' (herb stuffing): In a mortar and pestle or food processor, blend the garlic, parsley, a pinch of salt, and black pepper until it forms a coarse paste.
Make a small incision
Make a small incision in each fish steak and stuff it with a small amount of the rof paste. Season the outside of the fish with salt.
Heat the vegetable oil
Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Fry the fish steaks until golden brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.
10 minIn the same oil, sauté the chopped onions
In the same oil, sauté the chopped onions until translucent. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning and to develop a deep red color.
5 minAdd the water, bouillon cubes, carrots, cassava, cabbage, eggplant
Add the water, bouillon cubes, carrots, cassava, cabbage, eggplant, and the whole Scotch Bonnet pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
30 minCarefully remove the cooked vegetables and a small amount of broth
Carefully remove the cooked vegetables and a small amount of broth with a slotted spoon; keep them warm. Remove the hot pepper if you prefer a milder dish.
Add the rinsed broken rice
Add the rinsed broken rice to the remaining broth. The liquid should cover the rice by about 1 inch. Cover tightly and cook on very low heat until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid.
25 minTo serve, fluff the rice
To serve, fluff the rice and place it on a large platter. Top with the fried fish steaks and the simmered vegetables.
A little kitchen wisdom
Traditional Ceebu Jën uses broken jasmine rice which absorbs the broth better than long-grain rice. Use a heavy-bottomed pot to allow the rice to form a crispy crust at the bottom (called 'xoon'), which is highly prized.
