Fun with fish

By Saman Ahmed

Spicy baked fish

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/3 kg fish, skinned
3/4 cup yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp garlic, crushed
1 tsp coriander, ground
2 tsp all spice powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon wedges
Mint leaves for garnish, chopped

Method:

Rinse fish, set aside in a strainer to dry and place in a shallow non-metal dish. Sprinkle
salt and pepper. Mix together yoghurt, coriander, chilli powder, garlic paste and lemon
juice. Rub it well on the fish, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Oil a baking
dish and put the marinated fish in it. Place in a pre-heated oven and cook for about 15
minutes on medium heat. Check to see if the fish is done, if it is not then leave for five
more minutes. Serve hot, garnished with lemon wedges and chopped mint leaves.

With coconut
Ingredients:

1/2 kg fish fillets

1 inch long ginger piece
1½ tbsp white vinegar
2-3 tbsp desiccated coconut
3 whole red chillies
3 tbsp all purpose flour
6 garlic cloves
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
 Lemon wedges for garnishing

Method:

Wash the fish fillets and pat dry. Sprinkle all-purpose flour over fillets and keep aside.
Grind together red chillies, coconut, ginger, garlic and vinegar along with enough water
to make a fine paste. Add salt and evenly coat the fillets with the paste. Heat oil in a
frying pan and fry the fish till it is crisp. Serve hot and garnish with lemon wedges.

Hyderabadi fish
Ingredients:

1/2 kg fish, cut into pieces

1/2 tsp sugar
1½ tsp melted butter (optional)
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp all spice powder
2 bay leaves
4 tbsp oil
4 green chillies, cut into strips
Salt to taste

Blend to smooth paste:

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 inch ginger piece
2 tbsp tamarind pulp
2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
3 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp grated coconut
5 whole red chillies

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan, add bay leaves, split green chillies and fry till the oil begins to
separate. Add the fish pieces along with sugar and salt. Add little water and simmer it for
a while. Add tamarind and all spice powder paste and cook for five more minutes. Just
before taking it off the fire, add coconut milk and bring to a boil.

Tandoori style
Ingredients:
1/2 kg fish fillets, cut into pieces
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1 tbsp coriander seeds, ground
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tsp Kashmiri pepper powder, ground
4 garlic cloves
Salt to taste

Method:

Make a paste of the vinegar, ginger, garlic, salt, coriander, cumin powder, Kashmiri
pepper powder and oil in a blender. Marinate the fish pieces in the paste and refrigerate
for four hours. Turn the oven on high. Place the fish pieces on a baking tray and bake for
about 10 minutes. Turn over on the other side and cook for another 10 minutes. The
baking time will depend on the thickness of the fillets.