National Dishes of the World

EN PL

Chambo
Photo: Marc Ryckaert, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

main dish

Chambo

Fried or grilled tilapia from Lake Malawi, served with nsima and tomato relish – the nation’s pride.

Eaten in: Malawi

Prep
20 min
Cooking
30 min
Resting
20 min
Total
1 h 10 min
Servings
4

Jump to recipe

About the dish

Chambo is the name of several tilapia species found in Lake Malawi and of the country’s most celebrated dish. Whole fish are sprinkled with lemon, rubbed with salt and deep-fried or grilled over charcoal until the skin is crisp and the white flesh stays juicy. They are served with nsima or chips and a simple relish of stewed tomatoes and onion. Chambo is ordered at lakeside restaurants and by the roadside, where fishermen sell the fresh catch, and because of overfishing and its price it is often a treat for special occasions.

Main ingredients

  • tilapia (chambo)
  • lemon
  • salt
  • tomatoes
  • onion
  • oil

Recipe

Chambo

https://foodmap.ominuvo.com/dish/chambo

Ingredients

4 servings

4 servings

Method

  1. Score the fish diagonally 3–4 times on each side.

  2. Rub them with salt, crushed garlic and lemon juice and leave for 20 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile soften the chopped onion in a tablespoon of oil, add the chopped tomatoes and chilli and simmer for 15 minutes into a thick relish, seasoning with salt.

  4. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper and heat oil 2 cm deep in a wide pan.

  5. Fry the fish for 5–6 minutes on each side until golden and crisp, or grill them over charcoal.

  6. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with nsima and the tomato relish.

From the same kitchen