Salt Cod Palm Nut Stew

Prep Rub cod all over with 1 tbsp salt and rest 30 minutes in the fridge to draw out moisture and cure lightly. Rinse thoroughly under cold water, pat dry, and cut into 4 chunks. Dice onion. Slice bell pepper into thin strips. Mince garlic. Slit scotch bonnet without breaking it. Dice tomato. Pick cilantro leaves. Cut lemon into wedges.

Sear Heat palm oil in a heavy lidded pan over medium-high 90 seconds. Add onion and bell pepper and cook 4 minutes until softened and edges char. Stir in garlic, black pepper, white pepper, and tomato paste over medium 60 seconds until fragrant.

Build 1 Add tomato, palm nut cream, scotch bonnet, bay leaf, and 200ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low, then cook 8 minutes until the sauce turns deep brick-red and clings to a spoon.

Build 2 Bring 180ml water with 0.25 tsp salt to a boil in a small pot over high heat. Stir in fonio, cover, reduce to lowest heat, and cook 4 minutes. Pull off the heat and rest covered 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Simmer Lay cod chunks into the moambe sauce, cover, and poach over low heat 6 minutes until the fish flakes when pressed and the sauce thickens around it. Lift scotch bonnet out.

Plate Mound fonio in a shallow bowl. Ladle cod and moambe sauce over and beside the grain. Scatter cilantro across the top and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.