by Anissa Helou
IRANIAN/ARABIAN FISH SAUCE
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MEHYAWA OR MAHYAWA
IRAN | UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | BAHRAIN
Mehyawa—a fish sauce that is made by seasoning salted anchovies with various spices such as cumin, coriander, and cumin seeds to achieve a rather thick dark brown sauce and then fermenting them—originally comes from Iran. It was brought to the Arabian Gulf by the Arab Huwala and Ajam communities who migrated there. It is an acquired taste for those not familiar with it, just like Asian fermented fish sauces. In the Gulf, people have it spread over Regag or over flatbread before laying a fried egg on top. It is very salty and a little goes a long way, but it is well worth having if you can find a good source for it. Gulf Arabs seem to favor that which is made in Bahrain. According to Charles Perry, the foremost expert on Arab medieval cookery, the name looks like the Persian word for fish with a suffix that usually means a kind of stew, such as the mastawa of Uzbekistan and the goshtaba of Kashmir.
Fried Mussel Brochettes
MIDYE TAVA
TURKEY
Mussels are one of Turkey’s most typical street foods. You can buy them stuffed, often beautifully arranged over metal trays lined with old newspaper, or you can have them fried, stuffed in a fat baguette with tarator drizzled all over them. The vendor threads the mussels on wooden skewers then dips them in water, then flour for what seems like a hundred times to build up a nice coat before dropping them into a huge pan full of hot oil. Fresh anchovies are also prepared and fried in the same way.
You need a very large skillet to fry skewers, so if you don’t have one, simply fry the mussels without threading them on skewers (see Note). I am not so keen on dipping the mussels in water, then flour, so instead I use a light batter to have more delicate mussel fritters. The batter recipe I give here comes from Bill Briwa, who worked at the French Laundry before joining the teaching staff of the CIA in St. Helena, Napa, California. Serve with a salad of your choice and good bread.
SERVES 4 TO 6
FOR THE BATTER
1½ cups (175 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
Just under ⅓ cup (50 g) cornstarch
½ tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon salt
1¼ cups (310 ml) sparkling water
TO FINISH
45 large mussels, steamed and shucked (or 36 fresh anchovies)
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Salt
Turkish Tarator
Lemon wedges
1. To make the batter: Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a bowl wide enough to accommodate a skewer. Whisk in the sparkling water until the mixture is smooth.
2. Thread the mussels onto 8 or 12 medium (7 inch/17.5 cm) bamboo skewers—2 skewers per person.
3. Set a fine-mesh wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 2 inches (5 cm) vegetable oil into a large skillet (see Note) and heat over medium heat until hot (if you drop a piece of bread in the oil, the oil should immediately bubble around it).
4. Drop a few skewers in the batter. Stir them to coat evenly, then remove one by one, wait a little for the excess batter to slip off, and drop into the hot oil. Fry for 30 seconds or so on each side, or until golden all over. Remove with tongs to the wire rack to drain off the excess oil. Sprinkle with more salt if necessary. Skim the oil clean in between each batch so as not to have burning bits of batter clinging to the fritters. Serve hot with tarator sauce and lemon wedges.
NOTE: If your pan is not large enough for the skewers, drop individual mussels in the batter. Stir them to coat evenly, then remove them one by one, wait a little for the excess batter to slip off, and drop into the hot oil. Fry in the same way as the skewers. Remove with a slotted spoon to the wire rack and sprinkle with more salt if necessary.
Shrimp Brochettes
SHRIMP MISHKAKI
OMAN | ZANZIBAR
Mishkaki is the name given to grilled meat or fish in Oman and Zanzibar, which was once part of the Sultanate of Oman. The marinade for these shrimp brochettes can also be used for fish or meat. The tamarind gives the shrimp a lovely tart flavor and the tomato moistens them as they grill. Serve with good flatbread and a salad of your choice or plain rice.
SERVES 4 TO 6
½ teaspoon seedless tamarind paste, diluted with 2 tablespoons water
2 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and minced to a fine paste
1 large tomato (7 ounces/200 g), pureed in a food processor
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
2¼ pounds (1 kg) large shrimp, peeled
1. Put the tamarind paste, garlic, ginger, pureed tomato, oil, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Mix well, then add the shrimp and mix again. Let marinate for 2 hours at least, preferably longer, in the refrigerator.
2. Prepare a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler to high.
3. Thread the shrimp onto 8 or 12 skewers (2 skewers per person). Grill or broil for 2 to 3 minutes on each side depending on how large the shrimp are and how well cooked you like them. I like mine slightly underdone. Serve hot.
Swordfish Brochettes
QOTBANE DEL HOOT
MOROCCO
In Morocco, cooks cut both meat and fish for brochettes in very small pieces, but you can cut the swordfish to the size you prefer. Just remember to increase the cooking time accordingly. You can replace the swordfish with monkfish, tuna, or any other dense-fleshed fish. Marinating and grilling fish the Moroccan way makes for delicious quick summer meals and of course, the brochettes will be even more delectable if grilled over a charcoal fire. Serve with good bread and a salad of your choice.
SERVES 4 TO 6
¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley (2 ounces/50 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sea salt
1 pound 10 ounces (750 g) swordfish, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
1. In a bowl large enough to hold the fish, mix the parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Add the fish and mix well. Let marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably longer, in the refrigerator.
2. Prepare a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler to high.
3. Thread the pieces of fish onto 8 or 12 long skewers (2 skewers per person). Grill or broil the brochettes as near the heat as you can for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the fish is done to your liking. Don’t cook it too long or it will become rubbery. Serve hot.
Mackerel Tarator
USKUMRU BALIGI TARATORU
TURKEY
Here, a Turkish-style tarator (which is made with nuts) is spooned over poached mackerel. The same sauce is also served with fried mussels or anchovies (see Fried Mussel Brochettes). Serve with good bread.
SERVES 4
2 medium mackerel (about 2¼ pounds/1 kg in total)
Sea salt
1 bay leaf
2 lemon wedges
Turkish Tarator
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped
1 teaspoon pul biber
1. Pat the fish dry with paper towels before rubbing them with salt inside and out. Put them in a fish poacher. Add the bay leaf and lemon wedges and add water to barely cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat off as soon as the water has come to a boil. Let the fish sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Then, gently lift them out of the water. Discard the heads and skin and if you can manage it, fillet the fish in 4 whole pieces. If not, don’t worry. Just take off the bone and transfer to a serving dish. Make sure you don’t leave bones in the fish.
2. Spread the tarator over the fish. Sprinkle the chopped parsley all over, then the pul biber. Serve warm or at room temperature. Or, if you
want to serve it later, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Simply remember to take it out of the refrigerator about an hour before serving.
TURKISH TARATOR
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MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS (375 ML)
Tarator is a sauce or a dip usually served with fish or seafood, but I sometimes like to serve it as a dip with crudités. It differs substantially depending on whether you have it in Lebanon and Syria, where it is made with tahini, or in Turkey where it is made with nuts. There is actually a Lebanese tarator that is made with pine nuts and served with fish, but it is rare to find it nowadays, I guess because pine nuts have become so expensive.
If you have the patience and energy, make this dip by pounding the ingredients in a large mortar with a pestle. The texture will be finer.
1½ cups (225 g) hazelnuts or walnuts, soaked for 1 hour in lots of boiling water
3 to 4 slices (use more for a thicker tarator) soft white bread, crusts discarded
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
⅔ cup (160 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1½ lemons, or to taste
Sea salt
Drain the nuts and put in a food processor together with the bread, garlic, and 1 teaspoon water. Blend until smooth, then start drizzling in the olive oil while still processing. When the oil is completely absorbed, add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a medium bowl and serve with the Fried Mussel Brochettes or spoon over the Mackerel Tarator. You can also keep it in the refrigerator, stored in a hermetically sealed container, for a couple of days. You may need to add a little oil or liquid before serving in case it becomes too thick.
Pickled Swordfish
KILIC BALIGI TURSUSU
TURKEY
Most Muslim coastal countries have their own way of preserving fish, with drying being the most common; but Turks also pickle fish. When treated this way, the fish keeps for only a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. And if left at room temperature, it will last for only 2 or 3 days. This recipe goes back to Ottoman times when it was served as part of a mezze spread.
SERVES 6 TO 8
Good pinch of saffron threads
2½ cups (625 ml) apple cider vinegar
3 swordfish steaks (about ½ pound/225 g each)
Sea salt
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon dried currants
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
6 cloves garlic, quarterered lengthwise
A couple of handfuls fresh or dried bay leaves, and if possible (optional) a few bitter orange or lemon leaves
2 tablespoons honey
1. Put the saffron to steep in ½ cup (125 ml) of the vinegar.
2. Pat the fish steaks dry with paper towels, then rub with a little salt. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Slip the swordfish into the pan and fry 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until lightly golden. Remove to a plate.
3. Mix the ground cardamom and cloves in a small bowl. Mix the currants, pine nuts, and peppercorns in another small bowl. Have the garlic at hand, ready to use.
4. Line an 8-inch (20 cm) round dish that is 4 inches (10 cm) deep with a few bay leaves and a couple citrus leaves if you are using them. Place a swordfish steak on the leaves. Sprinkle with one-third of the cardamom/clove mixture. Scatter one-third of the currant/pine nuts/peppercorn mixture and one-third of the cut garlic. Repeat the layering two more times. Cover with a final layer of leaves.
5. Pour the remaining 2 cups (500 ml) vinegar into a small saucepan. Add the honey and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let bubble for a couple of minutes, then take off the heat. Let cool before adding the saffron vinegar. Mix the pickling solution well.
6. Put the fish dish on a large rimmed plate to catch the pickling solution that will spill over as you weight the fish. Pour the pickling solution over the fish, being careful not to displace the bay leaves. Invert a plate over the fish and place a weight on the plate. The excess vinegar will overflow and this is how it should be. Refrigerate or place in a cool place. The fish will be ready after 2 or 3 days, and it will last for up to 10 days if kept in an airtight container in a cool place or the refrigerator. Serve as part of a mezze spread.
Fish in Tamarind Sauce
SAMAK BIL HUMMAR
SAUDI ARABIA
This is an interesting and simple Saudi sweet and sour sauce to serve with plain roasted or poached fish. I usually roast the fish in the oven, the way they do in Saudi Arabia, but you can also poach it, although make sure you pat it very dry before serving it with the sauce. And you can also cook it on an outdoor grill or in a grill pan.
SERVES 6
4 ounces (120 g) seedless tamarind paste, soaked for 1 hour in 2 cups (500 ml) boiling water
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
4 medium onions (1 pound 5 ounces/600 g total), very finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
2 medium tomatoes (about 7 ounces/200 g total), seeded and finely diced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
6 whitefish fillets (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg total)
White rice, for serving
Saudi “Salsa,” for serving
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Mash the tamarind paste into the soaking water, then strain through a sieve set over a medium bowl to catch the juice, pushing on the pulp to extract as much flavor as you can. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring regularly, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or so before adding half the tomatoes, the coriander, cumin, cinnamon, salt to taste, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook for a few minutes, until the tomatoes have softened.
4. Add the tamarind juice and cook for 20 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce has thickened. Add a little water (up to 1 cup/250 ml) if the sauce is becoming too dry.
5. Meanwhile, oil a baking sheet and put the fish, skin side down, on it. Brush the fish with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fish is done to your liking.
6. Gently transfer the fish to a serving platter. Spoon the sauce over the fish but without completely covering it. Garnish with the remaining diced tomatoes. Serve hot with the rice and salsa.
Stuffed Mussels
MIDYE DOLMASI
TURKEY
The first time I tried these stuffed mussels was when I spotted them beautifully displayed by a street vendor near the Pera Palace hotel in Istanbul where I was staying. I was intrigued. I had never had them before. They were a revelation—exquisite and completely unexpected as street food given how much time they take to prepare, not to mention how sophisticated the recipe is. And yet you find them sold cheaply on the street, usually by older men who I suspect prepare them at home, or perhaps have their wives make them while they take care of selling them. I actually never found out as I don’t speak Turkish and I have yet to find a stuffed mussel vendor who speaks another language! The mussels you buy in Turkey are very large and work perfectly for stuffing. They need to be stuffed raw so that the rice becomes enclosed on both sides by the flesh of the mussel, but opening them takes some real skill, and it is important to know where to insert the knife, which I explain below, so that you immediately cut into the muscle that opens and closes the shell.
SERVES 4
FOR THE STUFFING
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions (7 ounces/200 g), finely chopped
1 tablespoon pine nuts
½ cup (100 g) Calasparra rice or other short-grained rice, soaked in warm water for
30 minutes
1 tablespoon golden raisins
1½ tablespoons tomato paste
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
2 to 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
2 to 3 sprigs dill, bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
FOR THE MUSSELS
About 40 large mussels; in Turkey they use mussels about 2 inches (5 cm) long (see Note)
2 lemons, cut into wedges
1. To prepare the stuffing: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the rice and add to the pan. Mix in the raisins, tomato paste, ground spices, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 cup (250 ml) water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the water is fully absorbed and the rice is just barely tender. Take off the heat. Wrap the lid with a kitchen towel and replace over the pan. Let cool.
2. To prepare the mussels: Pull out and discard the beards (if there are any) and rinse the mussels under cold water—do not put them in a bowl to soak or else they will die. Lay a mussel on a kitchen towel on your work surface and insert the tip of a small but solid sharp knife in between the shells at the nerve end, which is at the slanted hinged end of the mussel. Slide the knife downward and all around the shell until you cut into the muscle. This will allow you to open the mussel easily while keeping the two halves attached. Open the rest of the mussels the same way, making sure you do not rush or you will either break the shells or hurt yourself with the knife.
3. Stir the stuffing with a fork to fluff it up, then fill each mussel with 1 teaspoon or more of it, depending on how large they are. Gently close them, wiping away any grains of rice sticking out, and arrange in 2 or 3 layers in a flat steamer basket. Weight down the stuffed mussels with a plate and steam for 20 to 25 minutes, until the mussels are cooked and the rice stuffing is tender. Pull the steamer basket out of the steamer and let the mussels cool before serving at room temperature with wedges of lemon to squeeze onto the stuffing. If you have any rice stuffing left over, add a little water and finish cooking it on the stove. Serve on the side.