Recipe
🥙 LUNCH
M'tsolola (Fish, Plantain and Coconut Stew)
Fish poached with green plantain and cassava then finished in fresh coconut milk, the island stew of the Comoros.
Comorian · medium · serves 4
prep 20 min · cook 40 min
~748 cal · 32g protein · 93g carbs · 30g fat · 8g fiber · 27g sugars · 20g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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M'tsolola is a Comorian stew of and cooked with fish and finished in , its name meaning banana with coconut. The fish is marinated in a paste of chili and garlic, then everything gently until the starches are tender and the coconut turns the broth creamy.
It is eaten across the Comoros islands and neighbouring Mayotte, stretching a little fish a long way with the and that grow everywhere. A banana leaf laid over the pot adds its own fragrance as it steams.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally gluten-, dairy-, egg- 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
600 g firm white fish, in pieces
3 green , peeled and chunked
400 g , peeled and chunked
1 can (about 13 oz) , full-fat
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 chili, minced
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp
Instructions
1
Rub the fish (or hearts of palm and plantain) with the garlic, chili, lime and a little salt and set aside to marinate.
2
Soften the onion and ginger in the oil, then add the plantains and cassava with water to cover and simmer until nearly tender.
3
Nestle in the fish and pour in the coconut milk, then simmer gently until the fish is just cooked and the starches are soft.
✎ Chef’s note
Keep the heat low once the coconut milk is in so it stays creamy and the fish does not toughen.
4
Season and serve over rice.
Comorian island home cooking, Moroni.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Moroni. The sauce is the surprising part. Langouste a la vanille is finished with white wine, shallots, butter and cream, a straightforwardly French technique in an Indian Ocean Muslim archipelago, and the vanilla comes from vines the French planted here in the 1890s.
🗺️
Comoros. The Comoros, the 'perfume islands,' cook with the vanilla, clove, and ylang-ylang they're famous for, grilled fish, coconut rice, and Swahili-spiced stews. French, Arab, and African roots define the archipelago's plate.
🌍
Africa. The structure repeats across most of the continent: one starch and one sauce. A grain or root is cooked stiff, torn or rolled by hand, and used to carry a stew of leaves, groundnut, okra or fish, usually from a shared bowl and with the right hand. UNESCO listings have followed that logic, inscribing couscous in 2020 as a shared Maghreb tradition and Ivorian attieke in 2024.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from Comoros
Langouste à la VanilleSpiny lobster gently cooked in a fragrant sauce of vanilla, cream, and lime, the Comoros on a plate.
Mkatra FoutraSoft coconut-scented griddle breads from the Comoros, torn and eaten with tea or curry.
MatabaPounded cassava leaves slow-cooked in coconut milk with fish, a fragrant green stew that is Comoros' national dish.
Browse all Comoros recipes →
Good to know
Storing it: Stews and braises keep 3 to 4 days refrigerated and often taste better the next day. Reheat gently, adding a splash of water if it has thickened.
Make it a Comoros meal
Café Épicé (Comorian Spiced Coffee)Drink
LaduDessert
Langouste à la VanilleDinner
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Cuisine
Diet
Frequently asked questions
What is M'tsolola (Fish, Plantain and Coconut Stew)?
Fish poached with green plantain and cassava then finished in fresh coconut milk, the island stew of the Comoros.
Where does M'tsolola (Fish, Plantain and Coconut Stew) come from?
M'tsolola (Fish, Plantain and Coconut Stew) is a Comorian dish from Moroni, Comoros.
Can M'tsolola (Fish, Plantain and Coconut Stew) be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This M'tsolola (Fish, Plantain and Coconut Stew) 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 M'tsolola (Fish, Plantain and Coconut Stew) 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 M'tsolola (Fish, Plantain and Coconut Stew) take to make?
About 60 minutes total (20 minutes prep, 40 minutes cooking), serving 4.
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