by Anissa Helou
NOTE: If you can’t find large mussels, change the dish to a pilaf. Prepare twice the amount of rice stuffing and cook it completely. Then steam the mussels. Take them off shell, and place them half inside the cooked rice here and there.
Sardines Chermoula
HÜT BEL CHERMOULA
MOROCCO
Sardines chermoula are the quintessential street food in Morocco, even in the parts that are far from the sea where people don’t usually eat fish. These are a staple of almost every street food vendor. I usually ask my fishmonger to butterfly the sardines and if your fishmonger is good, he will do it for you. Serve with good bread and the salad of your choice.
SERVES 4 TO 6
2¼ pounds (1 kg) fresh sardines, butterflied
Chermoula
Unbleached all-purpose flour, for dredging
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
1. Pat the sardines dry with paper towels. Lay them skin side down on your work surface, and spread a little chermoula over half of the sardines. Then lay the remaining sardines over those spread with chermoula, skin side up, as if you were making sandwiches with the chermoula as the filling. Transfer the sardines to a large platter and let them sit for at least 2 hours, preferably longer, in the refrigerator to absorb the flavors of the chermoula.
2. Put enough flour to dredge the sardines in a soup plate or a wide shallow bowl and season with a little salt and pepper. Dip each sardine “sandwich” into the flour on both sides. Place on a plate.
3. Set a fine-mesh wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 2 inches (5 cm) vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium heat until hot (if you drop a piece of bread in the oil, the oil should immediately bubble around it). Working in batches, slip in as many sardines as will fit comfortably in the pan and fry for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon to the rack to drain off excess oil. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
CHERMOULA
* * *
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP (250 ML)
5 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
1 small onion (3½ ounces/100 g), grated on the fine side of a grater
½ bunch cilantro (3½ ounces/100 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons, or to taste
Sea salt, to taste
Put all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. You can store this, covered, in the refrigerator for a day.
Fish Stewed in Spicy Coriander
SAMKEH HARRAH MATBOOKHAH
LEBANON
This is a homely Lebanese way of preparing fish that is typical in Sunni coastal communities. Most Arabs tend to overcook both meat and fish, so I have changed the traditional recipe slightly to avoid it. I also use the unorthodox and rather extravagant black cod to prepare this dish, but you can replace it with sea bream or sea bass, which is what Lebanese cooks use.
SERVES 4
2¼ pounds (1 kg) whitefish fillets or steaks
Sea salt
Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying
Unbleached all-purpose flour, for dredging
Finely ground black pepper
½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium onions (1 pound 5 ounces/600 g total), finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
2 bunches cilantro (14 ounces/400 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or to taste
1 cup (250 ml) lemon juice, or to taste
1. Pat the fish pieces dry with paper towels and lightly rub with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to soak up the salt.
2. Set a fine-mesh rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and pour in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom. Heat over medium heat until the oil is hot (if you drop a piece of bread in the oil, the oil should immediately bubble around it). Put enough flour to dredge the fish in a soup plate or a wide shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip the fish pieces into the flour on both sides to lightly coat them, shaking off any excess flour. Working in batches, put in as many fish pieces as can fit comfortably in the pan, skin side down, and fry for 1 minute on each side to set the coating and seal the fish. In between batches, wipe the pan clean and add more oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the rack to drain any excess oil.
3. Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring regularly, until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute or so. Add the cilantro, cumin, coriander, and Aleppo pepper and stir for another minute, or until the cilantro is wilted. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Let bubble for 5 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and slip the fried fish into the lemony cilantro sauce. Cover and let simmer for 3 to 5 more minutes, or until the fish is done to your liking and the sauce has thickened. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Arabian Spiced Fried Fish
SAMAK MEQLI
ARABIAN GULF
This is a typical recipe from the Arabian Gulf where many people cannot conceive of lunch without fish on the table. Often, restaurants will have both fish and meat for diners to choose from. This fried fish is particularly good served with the Sweet-Savory Rice, as the fish’s spicy marinade provides a delectable contrast to the sweetish rice.
SERVES 4
FOR THE MARINADE
3 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
½ inch (1 cm) fresh ginger, minced to a fine paste
1 tablespoon b’zar (Arabian Spice Mixture)
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Sea salt
Juice of ½ lemon
FOR THE FISH
4 whole sea bream (about 10½ ounces/300 g each), or 2 Thai snappers (1 pound 3 ounces/550 g each), scaled and gutted, fins removed (but not the heads or tails)
Sea salt
Unbleached all-purpose flour, for dredging
Finely ground black pepper
B’zar (Arabian Spice Mixture)
Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying
FOR SERVING
Lime or lemon wedges
Sweet-Savory Rice
1. To make the marinade: Mix the garlic, ginger, b’zar, turmeric, black pepper, a little sea salt, and the lemon juice in a small bowl.
2. To prepare the fish: Pat the fish dry with paper towels, then make 2 or 3 diagonal slashes across the flesh on both sides. Rub the fish with a little salt inside and out and let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. Dividing evenly, rub the marinade all over the fish, inside and out and into the slashes. Put in a dish and let the fish absorb the flavors for 30 minutes, or longer if you have the time.
4. Put a little flour on a plate and season it with a little salt, pepper, and b’zar.
5. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Pour about ½ inch (1 cm) oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until hot (if you drop a piece of bread in the oil, the oil should immediately bubble around it). Working in batches, dip each fish into the seasoned flour on both sides, shaking off the excess, then slide in as many fish as will comfortably fit in the pan and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the skin is crisp and golden and the fish is just cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon to the wire rack to drain off any excess oil.
6. Serve hot with the lime or lemon wedges and the rice.
Arabian “Ravioli” with Fish
GABBOOT AL-BOWALIEL
KUWAIT
I first tasted this dish in K
uwait. It was prepared with meat, whereas this version, which is common in other parts of the Arabian Gulf, is made with fish. The dumplings for gabboot are time consuming to prepare but worth the effort. Bowaliel is plural for baloul, Arabic for “baby shark,” and this dish is named after the fish that is normally used to make it. You can also use hamour, another fish typical of the Arabian Gulf, or any other white-fleshed saltwater fish.
SERVES 6 TO 8
FOR THE “RAVIOLI” DOUGH
1½ cups (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and shaping
1 packet (7g/2¼ teaspoons) instant (fast-acting) yeast
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
FOR THE STUFFING
¼ cup (50 g) dried mung beans, soaked overnight in plenty of cold water
Sea salt
Pinch of saffron threads
2 teaspoons rose water
1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), finely chopped
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced to a fine paste
½ teaspoon ground dried lime
1 small green chili
½ teaspoon b’zar (Arabian Spice Mixture)
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
A few sprigs cilantro, most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
FOR THE FISH
4 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
½ inch (1 cm) fresh ginger, minced to a fine paste
1 tablespoon b’zar (Arabian Spice Mixture)
Sea salt
Juice of ½ lemon or 1 lime
3 pounds 5 ounces (1.5 kg) thick (2-inch/5 cm) fish steaks: cut from baloul (baby shark), hamour, or any white-fleshed saltwater fish, such as grouper or halibut
Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying
FOR THE FISH SAUCE
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes (8 ounces/200 g total), finely chopped
1 small green chili, thinly sliced into rings
4 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups (1 liter) boiling water
1 cinnamon stick
3 pale dried limes, pricked here and there
2 tablespoons seedless tamarind paste, soaked for 1 hour in ½ cup (125 ml) boiling water
1 teaspoon b’zar (Arabian Spice Mixture)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Sea salt
A few sprigs cilantro, for garnish
1. To make the “ravioli” dough: Mix the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the oil and ½ cup (125 ml) warm water to the well and gradually bring in the flour, mixing it in until you have a rough dough.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 3 minutes. Invert the bowl over the dough and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead the dough for 3 more minutes, then shape into a ball. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
3. To make the stuffing: Drain and rinse the mung beans. Put them in a small pot. Add water to cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until tender, 25 to 35 minutes. Drain and sprinkle with salt to taste. Put the saffron to steep in the rose water. Put the onion in a small pot and place over medium heat. Stir it constantly until it starts coloring and sticking to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle it with a little water and continue stirring it until golden. Add the oil (this inverted way of cooking the onion is very traditional and still popular in the Gulf), then add the garlic, ground dried lime, chili, and the drained beans. Add the saffron rose water, b’zar, cardamom, and cilantro and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Let cool.
4. To prepare the fish: Mix together the garlic, ginger, b’zar, salt to taste, and the lemon juice. Measure out 1 teaspoon of the marinade and set aside (for the sauce) and rub the fish inside and out with the remainder. Let sit for 30 minutes.
5. To form the “ravioli,” roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/16 inch (1.5 mm), then use a 1½-inch (3.8 cm) round pastry cutter to cut out as many rounds as you can. You should have about 50.
6. Place ½ teaspoon stuffing in the center of each round of dough and fold into a half-round, stretching the dough a little and pressing on the edges to seal them. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Lightly sprinkle it with flour and arrange the “ravioli” on the sheet.
7. To make the fish sauce: Heat the oil over medium heat in a wide saucepan large enough to take both fish and “ravioli.” Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved 1 teaspoon marinade, tomatoes, and chili. Cover and let bubble for a couple of minutes.
8. Dissolve the tomato paste in the boiling water and add to the pan together with the cinnamon stick and dried limes. Cover the pan and let bubble for 10 minutes.
9. Mash the tamarind paste in the water and strain the liquid, pressing on the pulp to extract as much flavor as you can. Add the tamarind water to the sauce along with the spices and salt to taste. Let bubble gently for about 20 minutes.
10. Meanwhile, fry the marinated fish: Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Place a large skillet over medium heat and pour in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom. When the oil is hot, add the fish and cook 2 minutes on each side, or until just done. In between batches, wipe the pan clean and add more oil. Transfer the fried fish to the wire rack to drain off any excess oil.
11. Drop the “ravioli” into the bubbling tomato sauce and cook, stirring gently, for 5 minutes. Then add the fried fish and let the sauce bubble for a few more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
12. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Zanzibari Grilled Fish in Coconut Sauce
SAMAKI WA KUPAKA
ZANZIBAR
The food markets in Zanzibar are quite spectacular, bustling with life and produce. And the fish on display in the fish section is always fresh, caught locally by fishermen going out to sea in the most beautiful sailboats. Here is a Zanzibari way to make grilled fish more exciting by serving it with a creamy, spicy sauce. You can use one big fish as is done traditionally, or you can use small individual ones. If you opt for the smaller fish, adjust the cooking time to 5 minutes or so on each side. And if you don’t have a charcoal grill, which is what Zanzibaris would use, or access to a broiler, you can cook the fish on a stovetop grill pan.
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 large white snapper (4½ pounds/2 kg), with head and tail on, scaled, gutted, and rinsed
8 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
8 mild green chilies, seeded and minced to a fine paste
Sea salt
6⅓ cups (1.5 liters) coconut cream
1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and minced to a fine paste
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
Finely ground black pepper
3 limes—2 cut in wedges and 1 sliced into very thin wheels
Indian Flatbread or Zanzibari Coconut Rice, for serving
1. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Take a long skewer and thread it through the fish, along the vertebrae—this will keep the fish straight during grilling.
2. Mix the garlic and chili pastes in a small bowl, adding a little salt. Rub the fish with half the mixture both inside and out. Let the fish marinate in a large platter while you cook the coconut sauce.
3. Prepare a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill (which is what they would do in Zanzibar) or preheat the broiler to high.
4. Put the coconut cream in a large saucepan. Add the remaining garlic/chili paste, the ginger paste, cardamom, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it bubble gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. Keep hot.
5. Grill or broil the fish for 15 minutes or so on each side until just do
ne. You don’t want to overcook it or else it will turn rubbery.
6. Transfer the grilled fish to a large serving platter. Spoon the hot coconut sauce all over it. Arrange the lime wedges around the fish, and lay the thinly sliced lime in a line down the middle of the fish. Serve hot with flatbread or coconut rice.
Senegalese Fish Stew
THIEBOU DIEUNNE
SENEGAL
One of Senegal’s quintessential dishes, this fish stew is served at least once a week at gatherings. It can be considered the Senegalese rice version of the Moroccan seven-vegetable couscous that is a fixture of Friday lunch throughout Morocco. It is a tasty, slightly spicy dish and makes for a very satisfying one-pot meal. I suggest making it with four individual fish, although many Senegalese will make it with fish steaks, pushing the marinade (rof; see Note) into slits made in them. Using fish steaks makes for easier eating, while using whole fish makes for a prettier presentation. Either way, it is a lovely dish and a delightful, unusual way to prepare fish.
SERVES 4
FOR THE ROF
2 cloves garlic, peeled
¾ bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 5 ounces/150 g), bottom stems discarded
1 small onion (3½ ounces/100 g), quartered
1½ teaspoons Aleppo pepper
Finely ground black pepper
FOR THE FISH
4 whole grouper or sea bream (about 9 ounces/250 g each), scaled and gutted