Bourzwa Griye (Seychellois Grilled Red Snapper with Creole Sauce)
Local name: Bourzwa griye
In short: Whole red snapper marinated in lime, garlic and ginger, grilled until the skin chars, then served with a warm tomato and chili Creole sauce. It takes about 50 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 255 kcal
Bourzwa is the Creole name for red snapper, one of the prized fish of the Seychelles reefs. It is cooked simply: scored, rubbed with lime, garlic and ginger, and grilled whole until the skin is crisp and smoky. A warm Creole sauce of tomato, onion and chili is spooned over the top. Serve it with rice, cassava or breadfruit, and a squeeze of extra lime.
Instructions
- Cut 3 diagonal slashes into each side of the fish. Mix the lime juice, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper and rub it over the fish and into the slashes and cavity. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- For the sauce, heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion for 6 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, chili, thyme, water and salt. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until thick. Remove the chili and thyme and keep warm.
- Heat a grill to medium-high and oil the grate well. Brush the fish with the oil.
- Grill the fish for 8 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until the skin is charred in places and the flesh at the thickest part reaches 63°C (145°F) and flakes.
- Transfer to a platter, spoon over the warm sauce and serve with rice or cassava.
Tips
- Oil the grate, not just the fish, and do not move the fish until the skin releases on its own. Fish grilled in a hinged basket is easier to turn.
- No grill? Roast the fish at 220°C (425°F) for 20 to 25 minutes, or use a very hot ridged pan.
Questions and answers
Can I use fillets?
Yes. Use 4 fillets of about 175 g and grill them for 3 to 4 minutes per side, skin-side down first.
What fish can replace red snapper?
Sea bream, grouper, sea bass or any whole fish of about 600 g works well.
What do you serve with bourzwa griye?
Steamed rice, cassava or breadfruit, with a green salad. Chili sauce goes on the side.
How long does it take to make Bourzwa Griye (Seychellois Grilled Red Snapper with Creole Sauce)?
About 50 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Bourzwa Griye (Seychellois Grilled Red Snapper with Creole Sauce)?
About 255 kcal per serving, with 28 g of protein, 9 g of carbohydrates and 12 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 255 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
