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Arroz de lisa
Rice with salted mullet
Arroz de lisa: Barranquilla's rice cooked with salted mullet, peppers and achiote
Carnival in Barranquilla isn't complete without a plate of arroz de lisa, and the market at Barranquillita and the old neighbourhoods around it sell it every day: salted, dried mullet from the Ciénaga Grande, soaked, shredded and cooked into rice with sweet peppers, onion, tomato and achiote. The rice comes out loose, orange and deeply savoury, with flakes of fish all the way through. It is served with bollo de yuca, fried ripe plantain or a simple tomato and onion salad. Plan ahead: the salted fish needs a day's soaking in the fridge. Skipping enough soaking is the usual downfall; the rice ends up far too salty, so taste a flake of the fish before you cook and keep soaking if it is still sharp. Chef's tip: if you can't find salted mullet, salt cod from any fishmonger works well, and use the poaching water for the rice only after tasting it.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 14 oz salted mullet (lisa salada)or salt cod; soaked for 24 hours in the fridge, water changed 3 times
- 5 cups water
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 white onionfinely chopped
- 4 spring onionschopped
- 4 ají dulce peppersseeded and chopped; or 1 red pepper
- 1 red pepperdiced
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- 2 ripe tomatoeschopped
- 1 tsp ground achiote (annatto)or 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 14 oz long-grain ricerinsed
- ½ tsp saltonly if needed
To serve
- ½ oz fresh coriander (optional)chopped
- 6 slices fried ripe plantain (optional)
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Drain 14 oz salted mullet (lisa salada) and rinse well. Taste a small corner: it should taste of the sea but not sting. If it does, soak for a few more hours in fresh cold water in the fridge.
5 minStep 2: Put the fish in a pan with 5 cups water, bring to a simmer and poach gently for 10 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. Lift out and keep the poaching water.
12 minStep 3: When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and every bone, and pull the fish into small flakes.
10 minStep 4: Heat 4 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide, heavy pot over a medium heat. Fry 1 white onion, 4 spring onions, 4 ají dulce peppers, 1 red pepper and 4 garlic cloves for 6–8 minutes, until very soft.
8 minStep 5: Add 2 ripe tomatoes, 1 tsp ground achiote (annatto), ½ tsp ground cumin and ½ tsp ground black pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until the tomato has collapsed into a thick, orange sauce.
5 minStep 6: Stir in the flaked fish and fry for 3 minutes so it absorbs the sauce. Add 14 oz long-grain rice and stir for 2 minutes, until every grain is coated.
5 minStep 7: Taste the poaching water. Pour 800 ml into the pot (top up with fresh water if it is very salty) and add ½ tsp salt only if needed. Bring to the boil and cook uncovered over a medium heat for 8 minutes, until the liquid sinks below the surface of the rice.
10 minStep 8: Turn the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly and steam for 18–20 minutes, until the rice is tender and dry. Leave covered off the heat for 5 minutes.
25 minStep 9: Fluff with a fork, scatter with ½ oz fresh coriander and serve with 6 slices fried ripe plantain.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arroz de lisa take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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.
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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