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Colombia · Triggerfish

Colombian Coastal Fish Sudado

Sudado de Pescado

“Sudado” means sweated: the fish steams in its own tomato and onion hogao in a covered pot. On Colombia’s Caribbean coast a splash of coconut milk finishes the sauce.

  • Prep 20 min
  • Cook 30 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy
Photo: MiguelAlanCS · CC BY-SA 4.0
Served with: Fried Cassava Sticks ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the hogao

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Season the fish. Toss the fish with the lime juice, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Let it sit while you make the hogao.
  2. Make the hogao. Heat the oil in a wide pot and cook the onion, scallions and bell pepper over medium heat for 6–7 minutes until soft.
  3. Add the tomato. Stir in the tomatoes and achiote and cook 8–10 minutes, mashing now and then, until it turns into a thick sauce.
  4. Sweat the fish. Pour in the coconut milk and water and bring to a gentle simmer. Lay the fish in the sauce, spoon some over the top, cover and cook 10–12 minutes without stirring.
  5. Serve. Scatter with cilantro and taste for salt. Serve straight from the pot with fried yuca, white or coconut rice and a slice of avocado.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Panama

Fried Cassava Sticks

Yuca Frita

Cassava boiled tender, then fried into thick, fluffy fries with a crisp crust. Along Panama’s Pacific coast they come piled next to fried whole fish and a wedge of lime.

  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 35 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 2 lb (900 g) fresh or frozen cassava (yuca)
  • 1 tbsp salt, for the water
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • Salt to finish
  • 1 lime, in wedges

How to make it

  1. Peel. Cut the cassava into 3-inch (8 cm) pieces, slit the thick skin and peel it off. Cut each piece in half lengthwise.
  2. Boil. Boil in salted water for 15–20 minutes until fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain, pull out the woody center cord and cut into thick sticks.
  3. Dry. Spread the sticks on a towel and let them steam dry for 10 minutes so they fry crisp.
  4. Fry. Fry in oil at 360 °F (180 °C) for 5–7 minutes until golden and crunchy. Drain, salt right away and serve with lime.

Photo: Horacio Cambeiro · CC BY-SA 3.0

More ways to cook Triggerfish

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Nassau, BahamasBahamian Fried Triggerfish
Cyclades, GreeceCharcoal-Grilled Triggerfish with Lemon-Oil
Cienfuegos, CubaCuban Fried Triggerfish with Garlic Mojo