• 1 KG FISH
• 2 TOMATOES, chopped
• 2 CARROTS, cut
• 1 POTATO, cut in small cubes
• 1 ONION, chopped
• 2 CLOVES GARLIC, crushed
• 1 TBSP SALT
• 2 TBSP OLIVE OIL

• 500 GRAM PUMPKIN, chopped
• BUNCH OF GREEN ONIONS, chopped
• 2 STEMS LEMON GRASS, chopped
• 4 DECILITER COCONUT MILK
• 300 GRAM PRAWNS, shelled
• 1 TBSP SHRIMP PASTE
• 1 CLOVE GARLIC, crushed
• 2 CHILLIES, chopped
• 1/2 LITER CHICKEN STOCK

Clean the fish, keep skin and bones. Cut the fish in cubes. Add 1.5 liter water to the skin and bones, cook for 20 minutes, sieve, add the salt. In the meantime, fry the carrots, onion and garlic in olive oil. Add a some of the fish soup and the potatoes and boil for 10 minutes. Add the fish and cook 7 minutes more. Add this mixture to the soup, as well as the tomatoes, stir carefully.

Serve with toasted slices of French bread, grated cheese and rouille.

Fry the garlic, chillies, green onions and lemon grass for three minutes. Stir in the shrimp paste. Add the chicken stock and the pumpkin, cook for 15 minutes. Add the coconut milk and the shrimps, cook for 5 minutes more.

This is a recipe from Nigeria. The country had been under military rule for 16 years, when on 29 May 1990 Obasanja became elected civilian president of the country. This is celebrated on Democracy Day. Click on culinary calendar for more links between cooking and history.