Colombian Mojarra with Pineapple-Sesame Hogao, Turmeric Rice, and Thin Patacones

Name: Colombian Mojarra with Pineapple-Sesame Hogao, Turmeric Rice, and Thin Patacones
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Colombiana
Ingredients: about 2.6 lb whole cleaned red mojarras; 2 tbsp lime juice; 4 cloves garlic; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 3/4 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 6 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 cup long-grain white rice; 2 cups water; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 cup scallions; 2 cups ripe tomato; 1 1/4 cups fresh pineapple; 2 tbsp sesame seeds; 2/3 cup red bell pepper; 1 tbsp grated panela or piloncillo; 1 tbsp white vinegar; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro; 2 medium green plantains; 2 cups additional oil for frying patacones

An original Colombian coastal-inspired dish: golden, juicy mojarrra topped with a sweet-savory hogao made with fresh pineapple, tomato, scallion, and toasted sesame, served with turmeric rice and crisp thin patacones. It blends classic Colombian flavors with a fresh homemade twist.

25 minPrep

40 minCook

65 minTotal

4Servings

Dairy-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

4 approx. 1200 g whole cleaned red mojarras (hacer 3 cortes diagonales por lado)
30 ml lime juice (for marinar the pescado)
12 g garlic (6 g machacado for the pescado and 6 g chopped for the hogao)
2 g ground cumin (divided)
10 g salt (or to taste, divided)
2 g black pepper (divided)
90 ml vegetable oil (divided for frying and cocinar)
220 g long-grain white rice (lavado and escurrido)
480 ml water (for the arroz)
2 g ground turmeric (for the arroz)
100 g scallions (finely chopped, divided)
300 g ripe tomato (pelado and chopped diced small)
180 g fresh pineapple (chopped diced small)
18 g sesame seeds (tostado)
80 g red bell pepper (chopped fino)
12 g grated panela or piloncillo (for equilibrar the acidez)
15 ml white vinegar (for the hogao)
16 g fresh cilantro (chopped, divided)
500 g green plantains (pelados)
500 ml additional oil for frying patacones (cantidad approximate for fritura profunda)

Nutrition facts

per serving

690 kcal

Calories

37 g

Protein

61 g

Carbs

33 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

56 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

FishSesame

Instructions

1
1. Make three diagonal slashes on each mojarrra. Season the fish with lime juice, 6 g crushed garlic, 1 g cumin, 6 g salt, and 1 g black pepper. Rub well inside and out and marinate for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
2
2. Meanwhile, make the rice. Heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the rice and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the water, turmeric, 2 g salt, and 30 g chopped scallions. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat, let rest for 5 minutes, and fluff with a fork.
3
3. For the pineapple hogao, heat 30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining scallions, red bell pepper, and 6 g chopped garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes.
4
4. Add the chopped tomato, pineapple, grated panela, white vinegar, the remaining 1 g cumin, 2 g salt, and the remaining 1 g black pepper. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring, until you have a thick glossy sauce.
5
5. Stir the toasted sesame seeds and half of the chopped cilantro into the hogao. Cook 1 minute more and keep warm.
6
6. Cut the green plantains into thin diagonal slices about 1 cm thick. Heat the additional frying oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry the slices for 3 minutes per batch until slightly tender and pale golden. Remove, drain, and gently flatten each slice between two flat surfaces.
7
7. Fry the flattened plantains again in the oil at 375°F (190°C) for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and season with a pinch of salt.
8
8. Lightly pat the marinated mojarras dry with paper towels. Heat 45 ml (3 tbsp) vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the mojarras for 6 to 8 minutes per side until the skin is golden and the fish is cooked through. If you prefer to finish them in the oven, transfer to a tray and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8 to 10 minutes.
9
9. Serve each mojarra with a portion of turmeric rice, spoon generous amounts of pineapple-sesame hogao on top, and add the thin patacones on the side. Finish with the remaining fresh cilantro.

Chef tips

For more even browning, dry the fish well before it goes into the pan. The hogao should be thick so it clings to the fish without watering down the plate.

Substitutions

You can use whole tilapia if mojarrra is unavailable. Panela can be replaced with brown sugar, and cilantro can be swapped for culantro or parsley for a different note.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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Illustrative image
T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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