PERSIAN COD WITH HERBS AND TAMARIND
In this traditional Persian preparation for fish, called ghalieh mahi, a profusion of fresh herbs is slowly simmered with caramelized onions and tangy tamarind until the whole thing cooks down into a silky, sweet-tart sauce with a haunting flavor. This version, adapted from Nasim Alikhani from Sofreh restaurant in Brooklyn, uses both fresh and dried fenugreek, which is worth seeking out for its musky, forest-like flavor. But mint makes a good substitute if that's what you can get. You can use any firm white fish fillets here. Or try pouring the sauce over roasted cauliflower steaks for a vegetarian take.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories seafood, main course
Time 2h
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a 12-inch skillet (choose one with a lid), heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Stir in parsley, cilantro, scallions and fresh fenugreek or mint and cook until they start to stick to the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in dry fenugreek or mint, and black pepper, and sauté 1 to 2 more minutes, until starting to brown. Turn off heat and cover pan so that the steam releases any darker pieces that may have stuck to the bottom, about 5 minutes.
- While herbs cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark golden brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and sauté for 2 minutes longer, then stir in turmeric and drizzle with a little more oil (this prevents the turmeric from burning); cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add red-pepper flakes and stir well. Stir in 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 1 minute. Pour onion mixture into skillet with herb mixture.
- Return the heat under the skillet of herbs to medium and stir in tamarind paste, lemon juice and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding sugar, more tamarind or both if necessary. You are looking for a balance of sweet and tart.
- Drizzle herbs with 6 tablespoons oil, bring to a simmer, cover and continue to simmer very gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the oil separates and floats on top, about 1 hour. Taste again and adjust seasoning using more salt, sugar, tamarind or a combination.
- Wipe out the 10-inch skillet and heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Season fish with salt and pepper to taste, then place skin-side down (if there's skin) and cook until browned and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Do this in batches if necessary.
- Use a spatula to transfer fish to the herb sauce, nestling it in so the crisp, browned side is facing up. Continue to simmer sauce and fish together until fish is flaky and cooked through, another 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the fish and sauce to serving plates, drizzle everything generously with oil, and serve with basmati rice on the side.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 512, UnsaturatedFat 25 grams, Carbohydrate 25 grams, Fat 32 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 34 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 767 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams, TransFat 0 grams
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Pubg Store
[email protected]This dish is perfect for a special occasion. It's elegant and flavorful.
soul soul
[email protected]I'm a beginner cook and this recipe was easy to follow. I was able to make it without any problems.
Hafizur sk
[email protected]I'm allergic to fish, so I made this dish with chicken instead. It was still very good.
Lilia Vanrouge
[email protected]This recipe is a keeper! I'll definitely be making it again.
Waseembhutta Waseembhutta
[email protected]I served this dish with basmati rice and a side of yogurt sauce.
Ayleen Gonzalez
[email protected]I'm not a big fan of cilantro, so I omitted it from the recipe. The dish was still delicious.
Evrahim Kolifa
[email protected]This dish is a great way to use up leftover fish. I used cod, but I think it would also work well with salmon or tilapia.
Jamie Jack
[email protected]I had some trouble finding tamarind paste, but I was able to substitute it with lemon juice and brown sugar.
derick kurate
[email protected]The fish was a little overcooked, but the flavors were still amazing.
Mehwish Arshad
[email protected]I found the recipe a bit too spicy for my taste, but I was able to tone it down by reducing the amount of chili powder.
Ana Portugal
[email protected]I've made this dish several times now and it's always a hit. It's easy to make and always impresses my guests.
Laxmi Laxmi
[email protected]The tamarind sauce was the star of the show. It was tangy, sweet, and incredibly flavorful.
Bryce Ramos
[email protected]I followed the recipe exactly and the dish turned out even better than I expected. My family loved it!
shila nantu
[email protected]I'm not usually a fan of fish, but this recipe changed my mind! The cod was cooked to perfection and the tamarind sauce was divine.
Ismail Yakubu
[email protected]This Persian cod dish was an absolute delight! The flavors of the herbs and tamarind blended perfectly, creating a tantalizing taste that left me wanting more.