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Bōñ jilōk (fish in coconut cream): recipe illustration
Fish & seafood

Bōñ jilōk (fish in coconut cream)

A traditional Marshallese dish in which fish is gently cooked in a creamy purée of grated coconut and onion. The texture is melting and rich, ideal with rice or breadfruit.

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Ingredients

Ingredients

Spices & seasoning

Optional extras

On the side

Instructions

  1. If using fresh coconut, grate the flesh, mix it with 200 ml of hot water and squeeze to obtain a thick coconut cream.
  2. Cut the fish into large pieces, lightly salt them and set aside.
  3. Thinly slice the onions, chop the garlic and chilli, and dice the tomatoes.
  4. In a casserole dish, fry the onion, garlic and chilli in a little oil for 5 minutes until soft.
  5. Add the tomatoes, then the coconut cream and the coconut milk, and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat, stirring.
  6. Blend the sauce briefly to get a smooth purée, then place the fish pieces in it.
  7. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over low heat, without boiling, until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve hot with rice.

Variations and tips

Family version. Replace the chilli with a pinch of mild paprika for a gentler taste, suitable for children.

With what you can find here. Fresh coconut can be replaced with dried desiccated coconut rehydrated in hot water.

More ideas

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Original Ecomely recipe.