West African · lunch, dinner

Liboke (Congolese Fish Steamed in Banana Leaves)

Liboke ya malangwa

Liboke (Congolese Fish Steamed in Banana Leaves) — from MULAMUKE's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 8:34

Video by MULAMUKE on YouTube, in French · Open on YouTube

80 minServes 4254 kcal a serve
  • Low carb (4.3 g net carbs) but not keto: 30% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
  • Gluten-free with a swap: Check that the stock cube is gluten-free
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Contains: Gluten, Fish. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

38 g protein and 4 g net carbs a serve: fish steamed in its own juices with tomato, peppers and herbs, using only 2 tbsp olive oil for the whole parcel.

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Ingredients 11

Method

The cook speaks French; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.

  1. Cut the fish into steaks, wash them, then soak for about 5 minutes in warm water with a splash of vinegar to freshen the smell. Drain. 1:20
  2. Lay a large sheet of foil on the board and cover it with washed banana leaves (the foil only supports leaves that have torn in the freezer). 2:55
  3. Put the fish in a bowl and add the capsicum, the cut green chillies, the whole scotch bonnet, chives, garlic, tomatoes and onion. 4:15
  4. Season with salt and the stock cube, add the olive oil and the water, and mix gently with your hands. 5:10
  5. Pile the fish and all its juices onto the banana leaves, fold the leaves up into a tight parcel, tie it and wrap the foil around it. 6:10
  6. Cook the parcels on a charcoal grill for 1–2 hours, turning them now and then. From 45 minutes, lift a parcel to check: it feels noticeably lighter once the fish is cooked. 7:13
  7. Open the parcels at the table and serve the fish in its juices. 8:05

Tip. Serves 4 (our estimate). You need a few large banana leaves. Eaten in Kinshasa with chikwangue (cassava bread), fufu or plantain; a green salad keeps it lower in carbs.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 4

Energy254 kcal1,060 kJ
Protein38 g75% of a day
Fibre1.6 g6% of a day
Carbohydrate5.9 g4.3 g net · 3.1 g sugars2% of a day
Fat8.4 g1.3 g saturated11% of a day
Sodium900 mg39% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 7%
  • Protein 62%
  • Fat 31%

Very low carb: under 10% of the energy is from carbs.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Selenium High110%

60 µg a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (99%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Vitamin B12 High73%

1.8 µg a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Vitamin C High37%

33 mg a serve, mostly from green capsicum (45%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Vitamin B6 High35%

0.6 mg a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (75%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Omega-3 High23%

0.4 g a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (85%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Magnesium Source19%

79 mg a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (85%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin E Source19%

2.8 mg a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (45%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Potassium Source13%

620 mg a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (63%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Vitamin K Source12%

14 µg a serve, mostly from fresh tomatoes (35%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Zinc Source11%

1.2 mg a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (82%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Show the other 5
Vitamin D8%

1.6 µg a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Folate8%

30 µg a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (42%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Iron7%

1.2 mg a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (67%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Vitamin A6%

54 µg a serve, mostly from fresh tomatoes (49%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Calcium3%

40 mg a serve, mostly from firm white fish steaks (56%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by MULAMUKE; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.