Hachis of Trevally -Asi Karang

The Hachis of Trevally -Asi Karang – is an ideal family dish that can be eaten either hot served with creole sauce, or cold with a green salad.

Asi derives from the French culinary term ‘Hachis’ which in turns derives form the  verb ‘hacher’ meaning to chop. In French ‘hachis’ is described as ‘ … une préparation à base de viande , de poisson ou de légumes crus ou cuits, coupés en très menus fragments, utilisée comme base de farce’. In fact, a ‘hachis’ is anything finely chopped, and the English word ‘hash’ is borrowed from it.

What is a Hash?

Hash is a culinary dish consisting of chopped up meat, potatoes, and onions. It originated as a way to use up leftovers. In the 1860s, a cheap restaurant in UK was called a “hash house” or “hashery.” 

The dish is constructed in loaf-shaped layers of either meat or fish and can sometimes actually contains vegetables which are served cold either in the terrine it was cooked in or sliced.

These days you can make a hash with anything, such as lamb, fish, venison, turkey, chicken, shrimp, steak, etc. Hash may be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Hachis in Seychelles

This method of cookery was borrowed from the French settlers and made mainly with fish instead of meat, because fish would have been more readily available in the early years of settlement. Not any fish can be used for a hachis. Oily fish is preferred because the oil gives a moist result, and this is why we have used the Bludger Trevally in this recipe because it is a fish that has an oily flesh and minimal bones. Most fish in the grouper family can also be used.

The traditional method of Preparing and cooking Asi

Traditionally, the fish, the skin and bones of which were removed, was not minced as we know it now, but was coarsely chopped with a heavy knife or clever, locally known as bikaw.

The hachis was not baked in an oven but cooked in a cast iron pot –marmit-over slow fire. This was mainly due to the fact that ovens are a new feature in a Seychellois kitchen. Hot coal was also placed on the lid of the cast iron pot, so that the heat was generated from the top as well as from the bottom. The Hachis, when cooked and when turned upside down, looked like a round domed cake. It was cut into wedges instead of slices . I guess that the oven has now simplified this cooking method!

Furthermore, instead of using breadcrumbs as the binding ingredient, stale bread was used. It was soaked in water for a while and the squeezed to remove as much of the water as possible. It was then  mixed into  the chopped up fish.

The Seychellois Hachis is more like a terrine but not a true terrine because a classical terrine is cooked in a Bain Marie whereas the hachis is baked.

How to prepare the Hachis of Trevally-Asi Karang

Rinse the trevally fillets, and pat dry. Remove the skin and bones, if any. I prefer to use large fish that has minimal bones and has oily flesh.

Chop the trevally very finely with a heavy knife or a cleaver and transfer in a medium size bowl. You may choose to use a hand mincer if you have one or an electric one, but it may not be worth the effort because you will have to spend time washing the mincer attachments afterwards. You may also end up with a very finely minced paste which will give give a product that resembles more of a pâté than a ‘hachis’ (which is chopped)!’

Baking the Hachis of Trevally –Asi Karang

After you have prepared your fish, the next step is to grate or finely chop your onion and add it to the chopped fish. Then add the oil, thyme, garlic and ginger and eggs and mix thoroughly. The eggs are used as a binder and to help prevent the hachis from falling apart after cooking. Once you have mixed the eggs carefully add the breadcrumbs and – sifted flour, salt and pepper and mix.

Heat your oven to about 180°c.

Oil the inner sides of a medium size baking tray , approximately 20cm long, 10cm wide and 4 cm deep, and transfer mixture into it , and bake for about 30-45  minutes.

Once cooked, remove from heat and allow to cool. Remove the hachis from the baking tray and slice thickly. Asi is traditionally served with rougaille sauce or rougay and served with plain boiled rice.. Prepare a serving dish and add a little of the rougaille sauce at the bottom. Place the slices of the hachis on top. Serve extra rougaille sauce separately.

The Hachis can also be served cold with any salad of your choice and keeps well, wrapped in a fridge for a few days.

Tip

Hachis can be sliced the next day and shallow fried for a few minutes on both sides and used in a sandwich. The shallow frying amplifies the flavour of the hachis. Try it and you will not regret it.

Here is the recipe for Hachis of Trevally –Asi Karang

Did you make this recipe?

I hope you will enjoy cooking this dish. Please let me know how it turned out for you. If you have a different version of the recipe or have related questions, please leave your comments below.

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