Name: Arroz de lisa
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 900 g salted dried lisa (mullet), whole or deboned; 600 g long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained; About 2 litres cold potable water for soaking, changed as needed; About 2 litres fresh water for poaching the fish, or enough to cover; 1.4 litres total cooking liquid for the rice; up to 500 ml may be replaced with reserved fish liquid if it is not too salty; 180 g red onion, finely diced; 120 g scallions, finely chopped; 300 g ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped; 80 g sweet ají dulce peppers, seeded and finely chopped; 150 g red bell pepper, finely diced; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 30 ml neutral oil; 2 g ground cumin; 2 g ground achiote or mild paprika; 1 g black pepper; 0–2 g fine salt, only after tasting; 15 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped; 6 clean bijao leaves for serving, optional

Region Barranquilla, Atlántico, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast

Category Seasoned rice with flaked salted mullet and Caribbean vegetables

Prep time About 45 minutes, depending on fish desalting and deboning

Cook time About 55 minutes

Total time At least 2 hours 40 minutes; allow up to 3 hours 40 minutes if the fish needs longer desalting

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Arroz de lisa

Arroz de lisa: Barranquilla rice with salted mullet and Caribbean sofrito

Arroz de lisa is a well-known everyday dish from Barranquilla, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. It combines rice with lisa, a mullet commonly sold salted and dried, and a sofrito of onion, scallion, tomato, garlic and sweet ají. A recorded Barranquilla family recipe cooks the fish, removes the bones, folds it into the sofrito and finishes the rice in the fish cooking liquid. Street-style portions may be served on bijao leaves with bollo de yuca or bollo limpio; boiled egg and other accompaniments vary.

This home-sized version makes 6 generous portions. Salted fish differs widely in size and salt level, so desalting is guided by tasting rather than by a fixed clock alone. Keep it submerged in cold water in the refrigerator, changing the water as needed. The fish is simmered separately, then carefully deboned before it goes into the rice. Taste before adding salt: the lisa and its cooking liquid may still contribute plenty. Serve the rice moist and fluffy, with bijao leaves or Caribbean sides if you like.

Ingredients

Fish and rice

900 g salted dried lisa (mullet), whole or deboned
600 g long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
About 2 litres cold potable water for soaking, changed as needed
About 2 litres fresh water for poaching the fish, or enough to cover
1.4 litres total cooking liquid for the rice; up to 500 ml may be replaced with reserved fish liquid if it is not too salty

Sofrito and finish

180 g red onion, finely diced
120 g scallions, finely chopped
300 g ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
80 g sweet ají dulce peppers, seeded and finely chopped
150 g red bell pepper, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
30 ml neutral oil
2 g ground cumin
2 g ground achiote or mild paprika
1 g black pepper
0–2 g fine salt, only after tasting
15 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped
6 clean bijao leaves for serving, optional

Method

Desalt the lisa safely Rinse the fish and cut large pieces into manageable sections. Put it in a covered container, submerge it in cold water and refrigerate for 1–2 hours, changing the water every 30 minutes. Cook a small flake to taste; if it is still intensely salty, continue soaking in fresh cold water. Do not soak salted fish at room temperature.
Poach the fish and remove the bones Drain the soaking water. Cover the fish with fresh water in a pot and bring it to a gentle simmer. Cook until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily; check that the thickest portion reaches at least 63°C. Lift out the fish and cool only until safe to handle. Remove skin and every bone carefully, then flake the flesh. Strain and taste the cooking liquid; reserve only if it is not overly salty.
Prepare the Caribbean sofrito Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add red onion and scallions and cook until softened. Stir in tomatoes, sweet ají, bell pepper and garlic; cook until the vegetables are soft and the mixture is fragrant. Add cumin, achiote and black pepper.
Fold the lisa into the sofrito Add the flaked fish to the sofrito and fold gently so it is coated without turning to paste. Taste a small bite before adding any salt. Lower the heat while you measure the rice liquid.
Coat the rice and add liquid Add the rinsed, drained rice and stir for a minute to coat the grains in the sofrito. Measure 1.4 litres total cooking liquid, using fresh water and replacing up to 500 ml with reserved fish liquid only if it is not too salty. Pour it into the pot and bring to a boil.
Cook the rice until fluffy Once the liquid boils, stir once, reduce the heat to low and cover tightly. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 18–22 minutes; avoid repeated stirring. If the grains are still firm and the pot is dry, add a small splash of hot water, cover and continue cooking. Turn off the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes.
Finish with cilantro and serve Fluff the rice gently with a fork and fold in the chopped cilantro. Taste and add up to 2 g salt only if needed. Serve hot, on clean bijao leaves if desired, with bollo de yuca or bollo limpio and optional boiled egg or avocado. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and reheat until steaming throughout and at least 74°C.

Practical guidance

Practical

Practical guidance

Salted lisa may be sold whole, with bones, or already cleaned; allow time for careful deboning if needed. Desalting time depends on the fish’s thickness and cure, so taste a cooked flake before proceeding and discard all soak water. Use only a modest amount of fish cooking liquid, since it can remain salty. Keep the rice covered over low heat after it comes to a boil, and cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Bijao leaves and bollo are traditional serving choices, not required cooking ingredients.

Final notes

Make ahead: Desalt and debone the lisa in advance, then refrigerate the flaked fish promptly until you prepare the sofrito and rice. Serving idea: Line a plate with a clean bijao leaf and serve the rice with bollo de yuca or bollo limpio.

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 1 of 6 portions, rice with flaked lisa; accompaniments not included
Calories: 590 kcal
Carbohydrate: 78 g
Protein: 32 g
Fat: 12 g
Fibre: 4 g
Sodium: 1,500 mg

Arroz de lisa

Ingredients

Fish and rice

Sofrito and finish

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

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