Obambo recipe comes to you as a traditional meal recipe. In the past, we didn’t have fridges in Africa, so to preserve fish, we sundried it. We commonly make Obambo, which is just sundried Tilapia/Nile perch. This piece shows you how to make the best Obambo recipe.
Today, we buy it already dried, and then we have to stew it. One place where you will get the sundried fish is in Lodwar and the Nyanza region. If you can’t go to the village side for the same, go to Gikomba food market in Nairobi.
It happens to be a cheaper choice for us from the lakes. At least by eating this, then you attain the much-needed omega-3 essential to your body.
What is Obambo?
In Luo Language, Obambo refers to the dried just. Back in the day, we dried it as a mode of preservation, and soon it became a staple to us.
The Luo community still uses this dry fish style, which is common in the open-air market. Obambo is also common along Lake Turkana, and I like that it never has that strong scent.
The Obambo recipe
Ingredients
- Three pieces Ingredientsnions
- Tomatoes
- Curry spices
- Salt
- Milk
Method
The first thing is to take the Obambo pieces and wash them clean. The best way to clean it is to wash it in hot water. This will help to know whether it’s safe to eat it still.
Now set it in a saucepan and allow it to boil for an hour. This kind of fish needs to soften because it has been sundried for days, sometimes even months.
When it comes to Obambo, stew or soup is very important. We were never as interested in the meaty part as the soup. This is why we have to give it enough time to boil. It usually has very few meat parts.
Take a few clean pans, add some oil, and chopped onions to cook.
Next, add your chopped or pureed tomatoes. I like to puree it because it blends well into the soup and meaty flesh. Cover and let it cook for a bit.
Next, add your favorite spices; ghee makes it taste even better. If you don’t like the ghee taste, don’t skip this. But let it cook for a bit.
Add the milk and cook it for about 4 minutes before adding the fish parts.
Cover it to cook some more. You can add a bit of the boiled stock to make more sauce if you would like. Also, this is the time to add a little lemon juice to kill the strong scent. Remember to allow it to cook.
In 20 minutes, it will be ready.
Remove and serve with your favorite brown or maize ugali and some greens.
FAQs
Why is this fish not as common
I know most people aren’t accustomed to this kind of fish, mostly because it’s not as popular as it used to be. You’ll like it if you learn to make it and get accustomed to the taste. This isn’t strange for us from the lake region; we really like it.
How can I stop or tame the strong smell?
Use vinegar when washing, or even add lemon juice. It will help to reduce the smell a little bit. The type of sundried fish in Turkana never has this strong scent. So you could buy such but also use lemon, vinegar, and lemon juice to make the changes.
What can I do with the leftovers?
Keep it in the refrigerator but ensure you eat it within 3-4 days. It’s outrightly delicious, and most people will want to eat it the next day to be done with it.