Torishéju Dumi feels her mum's influence everywhere, including the kitchen.
Torishéju Dumi’s roots are paramount to her. Born in London to a Brazilian-Nigerian father and Nigerian mother, the London-based designer is inspired by her heritage, her Catholic upbringing, and her mother’s unique taste. Her Mami Wata capsule collection, seven pieces of which were acquired by The Met for its “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” exhibition, takes its name from the Nigerian goddess of water. Fire on the Mountain” her fashion week debut in 2023 that launched her career, takes its loose draping from Nigerian nappa clothing, its tailoring from British suiting, and its name from a folk song her mother used to sing. Her meals, too, carry these influences. “The dish I've chosen is beyond words—so satisfying and filled with love,” Dumi tells Family Style. Made by her mother for Christmas, Easter, and birthdays, this fried fish recipe is worth celebrating from start to finish. “It's a whole ritual,” she says. “Where I'm from, food is a way of expressing love, and cooking with my mummy is truly incomparable."
Ingredients
- 1 red headless fish, washed, and descaled
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- Season-all (a mixture of various seasonings)
- Fresh garlic, chopped
- A pinch of pink salt
- Olive oil
- 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 white onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- Fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- Additional fresh garlic, thinly sliced
- A pinch of pink salt or sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the fish by washing, descaling, and seasoning it with thyme and the season-all mixture.
- Chop fresh garlic and add it to the seasoning mixture. Massage the seasoning into the fish. Sprinkle a pinch of pink salt into the seasoning mixture for added flavor.
- Preheat a frying pan with olive oil over medium heat. Cut the red and white onions in half, then thinly slice them. Add the sliced onions to the preheated olive oil in the pan and sauté until they begin to soften.
- Place the seasoned fish in the shallow oil and fry for about 10 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Once fried on both sides, remove the fish from the pan and set it aside to cool.
- Slice the green, yellow, and red sweet peppers. Thinly slice fresh ginger and additional garlic. Add a pinch of pink salt or sea salt to the sliced vegetables.
- In the same pan, add a bit more olive oil if needed and fry the sliced peppers, ginger, and garlic over low heat for 5-10 minutes, or until they are tender but still vibrant.
- Pour the sautéed vegetables over the fried fish. Serve the dish hot and enjoy!