Charcoal-grilled dry catfish

Clean the fish again at home: dab salt on a lemon and scrub the fish with it while squeezing the juice. Alum or a dip in hot water also removes the sliminess, but not for fish to be grilled.

Rinse the fish a couple of times and drain off the water.

Sprinkle a generous amount of salt all over the fish; leave it whole or cut it into pieces.

Start with a little charcoal and add more a little at a time along the way; too much heat burns the fish faster than it cooks. It takes about six to eight hours depending on the size of the fish.

Set the fish on the grill and brush with palm oil for a shiny colour; cover.

Check every one to two hours; at about three hours it is not yet dried on the inside.

At about five hours add more charcoal and flip the fish to the other side.

Finish when the fish is well dried all the way through.