Rinse and pat dry the Whole Firm White Fish; make a few diagonal slashes on each side so flavors penetrate.
Prepare a bright marinade by finely chopping the Parsley, Garlic and Scallion, then mix with a minced Scotch Bonnet (use less for milder heat), a generous pinch of Fine Salt and Black Pepper, and a couple of tablespoons of Peanut Oil.
Rub the marinade all over the Whole Firm White Fish, including into the slashes, and let rest 20–30 minutes while you prep vegetables and rice.
Heat a little more oil (use Peanut Oil) in a large, heavy pot. Sear the marinated fish on both sides until golden but not fully cooked, then remove and set aside.
In the same pot, add another splash of oil if needed and sauté the chopped Onion until translucent, then stir in a few tablespoons of Tomato Paste and cook briefly to deepen its flavor.
Add the Crushed Tomatoes, about 3–4 cups of Water (adjust to desired sauce volume), one Bouillon Cube, a spoonful of Tamarind Paste for tang, and the Dried Mollusk and Guedj (Dried Salted Fish) for umami; bring to a gentle simmer and taste, seasoning with a little more Fine Salt and Black Pepper if needed.
Peel and cut the vegetables: chunk the Carrot, core and quarter the Green Cabbage, slice the Eggplant, peel and cut the Cassava into large pieces, cube the Sweet Potato, and cut the Pumpkin into chunks; add the firmer roots (cassava, sweet potato, carrot, pumpkin) first so they get a head start.
After about 10–12 minutes, add the quicker-cooking vegetables (eggplant, cabbage, and Okra) to the pot and simmer until all vegetables are just tender—another 8–10 minutes depending on size.
Stir in the Broken Rice directly into the sauce, spreading it evenly and adding more Water if the mixture looks too thick; nest the seared fish gently on top of the rice so it steams and finishes cooking with the grains.
Cover the pot and simmer on low, undisturbed, until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is cooked through—about 20–25 minutes. Check once near the end to ensure it’s not sticking; add a splash of water if necessary.
When the rice is tender and the fish is fully cooked, adjust seasoning with Fine Salt and Black Pepper to taste, then finish with a bright squeeze of Lemon over the whole pot.
Serve family-style with pieces of fish and vegetables over the rice, offering extra lemon on the side.
