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Tsebhi asa
Fish in berbere tomato stew
Tsebhi asa (ጸብሒ ዓሳ): Red Sea fish pieces simmered in a rich berbere, onion and tomato stew, Massawa style
Massawa's home cooks make tsebhi asa with whatever came in on the boats that morning, often kingfish, grouper or snapper, simmered in a stew that is redder and more tomato-rich than the lake fish wats of Ethiopia. Plenty of fresh tomato and a little tomato paste go into the berbere and onion base, with garlic and a touch of cumin, so the sauce is spicy, tangy and bright. It is scooped up with injera or with the flatbread of the coast, and leftovers are even better the next morning with bread. Chef's tip: cut the fish into large chunks with the skin on where you can; skin helps the pieces hold together in the simmering sauce.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb firm fish filletskingfish, grouper, snapper or monkfish, cut into 5 cm chunks, skin on
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 red onionsfinely chopped
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- 2 tbsp berberesee our recipe
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ⅛ lb ripe tomatoeschopped
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 green chilli (optional)sliced
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ½ lb firm fish fillets with 1 tbsp lemon juice and keep it in the fridge while you make the sauce.
Step 2: Heat 5 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and cook 2 red onions for 8 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden.
8 minStep 3: Add 4 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp berbere and ½ tsp ground cumin and fry for 2 minutes over a medium-low heat, until the oil turns red. Add a splash of water if the spice starts to catch.
2 minStep 4: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then add 1 ⅛ lb ripe tomatoes and 1 cup water. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring and pressing the tomatoes, until they have melted into a thick sauce with oil shining on top.
16 minStep 5: Season with 1 tsp salt, then nestle the fish into the sauce in a single layer, skin side down. Cover and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, without stirring, until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes when pushed with a fork. Stirring now is the mistake that turns it to shreds.
9 minStep 6: Scatter over 1 green chilli and serve hot from the pan with injera or flatbread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 37 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tsebhi asa take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of red onions?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
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