Congolese · main
Liboke ya Mbisi (Fish in Banana Leaves)
Liboke ya Mbisi (Fish in Banana Leaves) reads citrus 5.4, sourness 5.2 and allium 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Congolese main, about 1 hr 39 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 4.4 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 2.9 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 7.0 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 1.0 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 2.8 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 5.2 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Citrus 5.4 · Sourness 5.2 · Allium 4.5 · Salinity 4.1 · Heat 4.0 · Umami 2.6 · Fruity 2.5 · Richness 2.4 · Herbaceous 2.2 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Sweetness 1.5 · Nutty 1.2 · Marine & Briny 1.1 · Floral 1.0 · Bitterness 0.9 · Earthy 0.7
What's in it (14)
- tilapia — 1400 g
- banana leaves — 3 g
- garlic — 12 g
- fresh ginger — 20 g
- onion — 110 g
- tomatoes — 240 g
- scotch bonnet chillies — 200 g
- lemon juice — 60 g
- sunflower oil — 55 g
- salt — 10 g
- white pepper — 5 g
- spring onions — 220 g
- bouillon — 100 g
- white rice — 400 g
Time & effort: about 1 hr 39 min (54 min active) · effort: involved
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 115.3 kcal, 11.8 g protein, 1.5 g fat, 13.7 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (6 steps)
- Slash each fish to the bone three times a side and rub it inside and out with the garlic, ginger, lemon juice, salt, white pepper and crumbled stock cube. Refrigerate 45 minutes.
- Pass the banana leaves briefly over an open flame until they turn glossy and go limp - about a minute. Unwilted leaves crack when you fold them.
- Lay each fish on a leaf and pack the sliced onion, tomato, scotch bonnet and spring onion around and inside it.
- Drizzle over the oil, fold the leaf into a tight parcel and tie it with a strip of leaf or with string.
- Steam the parcels 35 minutes over medium heat, or set them on a grid over dying coals for the same time, turning once. The parcel traps the steam and the leaf perfumes the fish, which is the whole point of a liboke.
- Boil the rice 18 minutes. Open the parcels at the table so the first smell goes to the eater.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Attiéké with Grilled Tilapia — Ivorian
- Shredded Chicken Tacos with Salsa Roja — Mexican
- Cod Veracruz with Tomatoes and Olives — Mexican
- Banku with Grilled Tilapia and Pepper Sauce — Ghanaian
- Cou-Cou and Flying Fish — Barbadian
Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.