Zambian Fish Curry & Nshima

A hearty and delicious fish curry is the star of this dish! Loaded with tomato, spinach, onion and the flakiest fish you could ever imagine. It is served alongside a classic Zambian dish called “Nshima”, which is maize meal cooked and then shaped, to be eaten with saucy foods to soak up all the yummy juices!

Zambian Fish Curry & Nshima

with sautéed cabbage, fresh chilli & spinach

Hands on Time: 25 - 40 minutes

Overall Time: 45 - 60 minutes

Ingredients:

  • Cabbage
  • Fish
  • Fish Curry Rub
  • Fresh Chilli
  • Fresh Chillies
  • Fresh Parsley
  • Garlic Clove
  • Garlic Cloves
  • Kingklip Fillet
  • Kingklip Fillets
  • Maize Meal
  • Onion
  • Onions
  • Spinach
  • Tomato
  • Tomato Paste
  • Tomatoes

From your kitchen:

  • Oil (cooking, olive or coconut)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Water
  • Paper Towel
  • Butter (optional)
Photo of Zambian Fish Curry & Nshima
  1. CURRY TIME

    Place a pot over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add ¾ of the diced onion and fry for 4-5 minutes until soft, shifting occasionally. Add the tomato paste, the curry rub (to taste), the sliced chilli (to taste), and the grated garlic. Fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, shifting constantly. Add the diced tomato and fry for 2-3 minutes, shifting occasionally. Pour in 100ml of water and bring up to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Just before serving, add the spinach and mix until wilted. Season to taste.

  2. NSHIMA

    Boil the kettle. In a pot, add ⅓ of the maize meal and ⅓ cup of cold water. Mix until a paste forms. Pour in 150ml of boiling water and place over a medium-high heat. Mix until fully combined and bring up to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, until slightly thickened. On completion, slowly stir in the remaining maize meal, stirring constantly for 10-15 minutes. On completion, the mixture should be a stiff consistency.

  3. FRY YOUR CABBAGE

    Place a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the remaining onion for 4-5 minutes until soft, shifting occasionally. Add the sliced cabbage and fry for 3-5 minutes, until slightly softened, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan, cover, and set aside for serving.

  4. CURRYLICIOUS KINGKLIP

    Return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter (optional). Pat the fish dry with some paper towel and season. When hot, fry the fish for 3-4 minutes until crispy and golden. Flip and fry the other side for another 3-4 minutes until cooked through.

  5. ZAMBIAN FEAST

    Dish up the flaky fish with plenty of rich curry sauce. Side with the sautéed cabbage, and a generous helping of nshima for dipping. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley and any remaining chilli (to taste). Enjoy, Chef!

  • Onion - 1

  • Tomato Paste - 10ml

  • Fish Curry Rub - 20ml

  • Fresh Chilli - 1

  • Garlic Clove - 1

  • Tomato - 1

  • Spinach - 20g

  • Maize Meal - 250ml

  • Cabbage - 100g

  • Kingklip Fillet - 1

  • Fresh Parsley - 4g

  1. CURRY TIME

    Place a pot over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add ¾ of the diced onion and fry for 4-5 minutes until soft, shifting occasionally. Add the tomato paste, the curry rub (to taste), the sliced chilli (to taste), and the grated garlic. Fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, shifting constantly. Add the diced tomato and fry for 2-3 minutes, shifting occasionally. Pour in 200ml of water and bring up to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Just before serving, add the spinach and mix until wilted. Season to taste.

  2. NSHIMA

    Boil the kettle. In a pot, add ⅓ of the maize meal and ⅓ cup of cold water. Mix until a paste forms. Pour in 300ml of boiling water and place over a medium-high heat. Mix until fully combined and bring up to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, until slightly thickened. On completion, slowly stir in the remaining maize meal, stirring constantly for 10-15 minutes. On completion, the mixture should be a stiff consistency.

  3. FRY YOUR CABBAGE

    Place a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the remaining onion for 4-5 minutes until soft, shifting occasionally. Add the sliced cabbage and fry for 3-5 minutes, until slightly softened, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan, cover, and set aside for serving.

  4. CURRYLICIOUS KINGKLIP

    Return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter (optional). Pat the fish dry with some paper towel and season. When hot, fry the fish for 3-4 minutes until crispy and golden. Flip and fry the other side for another 3-4 minutes until cooked through.

  5. ZAMBIAN FEAST

    Dish up the flaky fish with plenty of rich curry sauce. Side with the sautéed cabbage, and a generous helping of nshima for dipping. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley and any remaining chilli (to taste). Enjoy, Chef!

  • Onion - 1

  • Tomato Paste - 20ml

  • Fish Curry Rub - 40ml

  • Fresh Chilli - 1

  • Garlic Clove - 1

  • Tomato - 1

  • Spinach - 40g

  • Maize Meal - 500ml

  • Cabbage - 200g

  • Kingklip Fillets - 2

  • Fresh Parsley - 8g

  1. CURRY TIME

    Place a pot over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add ¾ of the diced onion and fry for 4-5 minutes until soft, shifting occasionally. Add the tomato paste, the curry rub (to taste), the sliced chilli (to taste), and the grated garlic. Fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, shifting constantly. Add the diced tomato and fry for 2-3 minutes, shifting occasionally. Pour in 300ml of water and bring up to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Just before serving, add the spinach and mix until wilted. Season to taste.

  2. NSHIMA

    Boil the kettle. In a pot, add ⅓ of the maize meal and ⅓ cup of cold water. Mix until a paste forms. Pour in 450ml of boiling water and place over a medium-high heat. Mix until fully combined and bring up to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, until slightly thickened. On completion, slowly stir in the remaining maize meal, stirring constantly for 10-15 minutes. On completion, the mixture should be a stiff consistency.

  3. FRY YOUR CABBAGE

    Place a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the remaining onion for 4-5 minutes until soft, shifting occasionally. Add the sliced cabbage and fry for 3-5 minutes, until slightly softened, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan, cover, and set aside for serving.

  4. CURRYLICIOUS KINGKLIP

    Return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter (optional). Pat the fish dry with some paper towel and season. When hot, fry the fish for 3-4 minutes until crispy and golden. Flip and fry the other side for another 3-4 minutes until cooked through.

  5. ZAMBIAN FEAST

    Dish up the flaky fish with plenty of rich curry sauce. Side with the sautéed cabbage, and a generous helping of nshima for dipping. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley and any remaining chilli (to taste). Enjoy, Chef!

  • Onions - 2

  • Tomato Paste - 30ml

  • Fish Curry Rub - 60ml

  • Fresh Chillies - 2

  • Garlic Cloves - 2

  • Tomatoes - 2

  • Spinach - 60g

  • Maize Meal - 750ml

  • Cabbage - 300g

  • Kingklip Fillets - 3

  • Fresh Parsley - 12g

  1. CURRY TIME

    Place a pot over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add ¾ of the diced onion and fry for 4-5 minutes until soft, shifting occasionally. Add the tomato paste, the curry rub (to taste), the sliced chilli (to taste), and the grated garlic. Fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, shifting constantly. Add the diced tomato and fry for 2-3 minutes, shifting occasionally. Pour in 400ml of water and bring up to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Just before serving, add the spinach and mix until wilted. Season to taste.

  2. NSHIMA

    Boil the kettle. In a pot, add ⅓ of the maize meal and ⅓ cup of cold water. Mix until a paste forms. Pour in 600ml of boiling water and place over a medium-high heat. Mix until fully combined and bring up to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, until slightly thickened. On completion, slowly stir in the remaining maize meal, stirring constantly for 10-15 minutes. On completion, the mixture should be a stiff consistency.

  3. FRY YOUR CABBAGE

    Place a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the remaining onion for 4-5 minutes until soft, shifting occasionally. Add the sliced cabbage and fry for 3-5 minutes, until slightly softened, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan, cover, and set aside for serving.

  4. CURRYLICIOUS KINGKLIP

    Return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter (optional). Pat the fish dry with some paper towel and season. When hot, fry the fish for 3-4 minutes until crispy and golden. Flip and fry the other side for another 3-4 minutes until cooked through.

  5. ZAMBIAN FEAST

    Dish up the flaky fish with plenty of rich curry sauce. Side with the sautéed cabbage, and a generous helping of nshima for dipping. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley and any remaining chilli (to taste). Enjoy, Chef!

  • Onions - 2

  • Tomato Paste - 40ml

  • Fish Curry Rub - 80ml

  • Fresh Chillies - 2

  • Garlic Cloves - 2

  • Tomatoes - 2

  • Spinach - 80g

  • Maize Meal - 1L

  • Cabbage - 400g

  • Kingklip Fillets - 4

  • Fresh Parsley - 15g

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