Fish Choka

Fish choka is a delicious mash up of tender, seasoned white fish, roasted tomatoes, and garlic. It’s a wholesome, fresh, flavorful, pescatarian dish that I never get tired of.

Guyanese Fish Choka

Fish Choka has a special place in my heart. When I was a little girl, growing up in Guyana, my grandmother Evelyn Ramotar made the most delicious fish choka. She made it with Banga Mary (a fish from the drums family, very popular in Guyana), roasted over her earthen fire side. Sometimes instead of making fish choka she used all the same ingredients but rolled the seasoned fish into balls, added it to stews and called it fish balls. Think meat balls but with fish instead of ground meat. This woman was so creative in the kitchen, no matter how little she had, no one in her home was ever hungry.

Why You’ll Love This Fish Choka Recipe

• Easy to Make: This dish comes together easily with simple ingredients.
• Customizable: I love how easy it is to customize the fresh ingredients added to this recipe.
• Nutritious: This low-carb, low-calorie dish is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Ingredients for Fish Choka

This recipe is perfect for cleaning out the fridge. Use up leftover produce.

• White fish filet: Use tilapia, red snapper, or cod. I’ve even used salmon and it works.
• Lemon: Using lemon with fish enhances the dish by imparting a bright acidity that complements the natural flavors of the fish, adding a refreshing and balanced taste.
• Tomatoes: When roasted add a bit of char and a mild sweetness.
• Aromatics: I use yellow onions, scallions, and cloves of garlic.
• Fresh herbs: Use chopped cilantro/coriander leaves.
• Wiri wiri peppers: This adds a kick of heat. It can also be substituted with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Oil: Use any light tasting oil suitable for cooking like avocado oil.
• Iodized sea salt or salt: Add to taste.

To Season the fish (optional, not pictured above):

I don’t think my grandmother would have used ground seasoning in her kitchen besides curry powder and masalas. She would have likely ground some of the aromatics from above on her lorha and sill (a type of mortar and pestle) and used that to season the fish. Honestly just lemon and salt is perfect for seasoning the fish before roasting, but if you would like a bit more flavor try these:

• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Smoked paprika

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Fish Choka

Prepping the Fish

The first step in making fish choka is to prep the fish, tomatoes and garlic for roasting. For the fish you can season it with a some onion powder, garlic powder or smoked paprika. Or you can keep it simple with just a bit of lemon juice and salt.

For the simple no additional seasoning or marinating of fish needed, place your fish, garlic and tomatoes (halved) on a sheet pan. drizzle the lemon juice over the fish. Then sprinkle everything with salt and oil. Make sure both sides of everything gets coated in oil and salt. Then roast in an oven at 450°F for 7 minutes for the fish and continue to roast for another 15 minutes for the tomatoes and garlic.

When the fish is cooked (looked opaque) remove from the oven and flake with a fork. I prefer to flake it in a plate then transfer it to a heat safe bowl (suitable for hot oil).

Choosing the right aromatics

Chokas have a very distinct flavor for me because of how the aromatics are chunked (chunkayed) then added to the roasted vegetables. I wanted to have that same flavor profile with this fish. My must-have aromatics are green onions, garlic, and white or purple onions. Optional aromatics are cilantro or coriander leaves and Italian parsley.

Bringing the Fish Choka Together

When the tomatoes and garlic are ready, remove from the oven and allow for cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and crush the flesh of the tomatoes and the roasted garlic together and add to the bowl with the flaked fish.

Add a large frying pan to high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil and when the oil is hot add the sliced onions. Cook until the onions are slightly brown (about two minutes). Then add a pinch of salt, followed by the green onions, wiri wiri peppers and the cilantro (if using). Cook for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and pour over the fish with the tomatoes and roasted garlic.

Then mix well to combine. Taste and add a bit more salt, if needed and you’re done!

How to serve the Fish Choka

Fish Choka pairs really well with:

• Roti. Try my easy roti recipe or gluten free roti if you are gluten sensitive like me
• Dhal and Rice. Make your dhal in the instant pot while your fish is steaming and your tomatoes are roasting up!
• Add some veggies. Serve it along with other vegetable sides like pumpkin or bhagie.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fire for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently over low heat on the stovetop or microwave until warmed through.

Tips for the Best Fish Choka

• For more flavor, marinate the fish for about 30 minutes. This tenderizes the fish and imparts deeper flavor.
• The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork. The internal temperature should reach 145°F (63°C).
• Fish cooks quickly. Keep a close eye on it to prevent overcooking. And remove the fish fish, while allowing the tomatoes and garlic to continue roasting.

Frequently Asked Questions