I first discovered this dish after moving to Canada, but when I spoke to my mom recently, she told me she used canned versions. (tin) Sardines in tomato sauce. Apparently we didn’t like tomato sauce, so my mother never included it in any of the meals she cooked for me and my siblings. She also told me about a curry recipe that my younger brother makes, which he also uses in his curry with sardines in tomato sauce.
You will need…
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium sized onion (sliced)
2 spring onions (chopped)
1 green pepper (chopped)
1 small Scotch bonnet pepper (green)
3 sprigs of thyme
3/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt (Salt to taste)
1/2 cup water
2 medium sized tomatoes (Thick cut potatoes)
1 large can of sardines in tomato sauce
1/2 lemon (juice)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Note! I encourage you to watch the video below as it goes into more detail about the recipe, including why I love green Scotch bonnet peppers and why adding a bit of crushed garlic makes this dish even more delicious. If you are making this dish gluten free, be sure to check the full list of ingredients to see if it meets your gluten free dietary needs.
Open the can of sardines and pour into a large bowl, separating the sardines from the tomato sauce and setting aside. The next step is optional: Slice the sardines lengthwise. In half delete (destruction) Carefully cut away the bone from the center of each fish.
Heat the coconut oil (Use the oil of your choice) Place the peppers, onion, Scotch bonnet and leeks in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium/low and simmer for 3 minutes.
Then add the black pepper, thyme and curry powder and cook for a further 2 minutes before adding the reserved tomato sauce.
Put the tomato sauce in a bowl, rinse it with water and add the water to the frying pan. Stir well and add salt. Bring to a boil over low heat. (Medium heat) Heat for 3 minutes.
At this point add the tomato chunks and stir. (Be gentle – see video for explanation) Cook for 2 minutes before adding the sardine fillets.
Be very careful when adding the sardine fillets, otherwise they will fall apart. (coarse chunks)Spoon the sauce over the fish, reduce the heat and simmer until heated through.
After 3 minutes, taste, adjust salt to taste and add lemon. (or lime) Pour in the juice and top with chopped parsley. Turn off the heat. You can always add more water if the sauce is too thick.
When my Guyanese friends introduced me to this dish, they served it with hot rice, and I personally like to eat it with sada roti and slices of avocado. (Zabuka) Served with pepper sauce.
