Recipe
🍽️ DINNER
Maboké de Capitaine (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf)
White fish steamed in banana-leaf parcels on a bed of onion, garlic, tomato, and chilli, a classic of the Central African Republic.
Central African · easy · serves 4
prep 15 min · cook 30 min
~252 cal · 4g protein · 64g carbs · 0g fat · 8g fiber · 33g sugars · 0g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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Maboké de capitaine is a classic dish of the Central African Republic, named for capitaine, the Nile perch of the country's rivers, though catfish, grouper, or tilapia stand in just as well.
The method is gentle and clean: a fish fillet is laid on a bed of finely chopped onion, garlic, tomato, hot chilli, and parsley, wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed or baked until it is light and succulent. The leaf parcel keeps the fish moist and lightly perfumes it, and the dish is opened at the table straight from its wrapping. It is typically served with rice and fried .
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally gluten-, dairy-, egg-, nut- and pork-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 4
4 fillets white fish fillets (Nile perch or tilapia)
8 banana leaves (or foil)
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 chilli, finely chopped
2 sprigs parsley, chopped
to taste salt
Instructions
1
Mix the chopped onion, garlic, chilli, and parsley together and season with salt.
2
Soften the banana leaves briefly over a flame or in hot water so they fold without tearing.
✎ Chef’s note
A quick pass over the heat turns the leaves supple and deep green and stops them splitting.
3
Lay a spoonful of the onion mixture on each leaf, set a fish fillet on top, add more of the mixture and the sliced tomato, then fold into sealed parcels.
4
Steam or bake the parcels until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily, about 25 to 30 minutes.
5
Open the parcels at the table and serve with rice and fried plantains.
Central African Republic riverside tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Bangui. Bangui is a riverside capital cooking cassava in every form, with sauces built on pumpkin and squash seeds ground to a rich paste. Smoked river fish, bushmeat stews, and fiery pepper accompany the staple chikwangue.
🗺️
Central African Republic. The Central African Republic's food is forest-and-river-based, cassava (as gozo and pounded leaves), grilled fish and bushmeat, and peppery peanut sauces. Communal, starchy, and resourceful, it centers the pot.
🌍
Africa. Much of what reads as timeless African cooking is younger than the Atlantic crossings. Maize, cassava, groundnut, chilli and tomato all arrived from the Americas after 1500 and pushed older crops aside; millet, sorghum, teff, yam and fonio are the ones that were already here, and the map still shows the join.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from Central African Republic
Kanda ti NymaCentral African meatballs simmered in a nutty tomato-and-okra sauce thickened with ground pumpkin seeds.
BeignetsCentral African breakfast doughnuts: puffy, golden yeasted fritters fried fresh at dawn and dusted with sugar, eaten with sweet coffee.
Gozo with Groundnut SauceSmooth cassava fufu served with a rich, savory peanut sauce, an everyday plate across the Central African Republic.
Browse all Central African Republic recipes →
Good to know
You’ll need: Oven, Steamer.
Storing it: Keeps 2 to 3 days refrigerated. Resteam or warm through gently to serve.
Make it a Central African Republic meal
Jus de TamarinDrink
Beignets de Banane (Banana Fritters)Dessert
Gozo with Groundnut SauceLunch
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Frequently asked questions
What is Maboké de Capitaine (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf)?
White fish steamed in banana-leaf parcels on a bed of onion, garlic, tomato, and chilli, a classic of the Central African Republic.
Where does Maboké de Capitaine (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf) come from?
Maboké de Capitaine (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf) is a Central African dish from Bangui, Central African Republic.
Can Maboké de Capitaine (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf) be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Maboké de Capitaine (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf) recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions, including several at once such as gluten-free and dairy-free together. Treat them as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Maboké de Capitaine (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf) safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Maboké de Capitaine (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf) take to make?
About 45 minutes total (15 minutes prep, 30 minutes cooking), serving 4.
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