Pakistani Tandoori-Style Fish

Name: Pakistani Tandoori-Style Fish
Yield: serves 2¿3
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons very finely grated peeled fresh ginger; 1 teaspoon finely crushed garlic; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried thyme (if ajowan seeds are available, use 1/4 teaspoon); 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 teaspoon nice red paprika; 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, preferably homemade (see page 285); 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/4 teaspoon sugar; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1–1 1/4-pound fillet of Spanish mackerel or mackerel, cut crossways into 3-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

December 9, 2011

We sat on cushions at an open-air, rooftop restaurant in Peshawar, Pakistan. As it was winter, we had been offered quilts to cover our legs and small individual braziers to keep at our sides. The glow of tandoor clay ovens just a few paces away offered added consolation. It was from there that this fish dish emerged. It was a river fish caught nearby, cooked whole in the tandoor until its outside was browned and the inside was flaky and soft. It was the spices that gave the fish its kick. I asked the chef for the recipe, and here it is. I have had to make a few changes. Instead of the river fish I have used Spanish mackerel (you could also use filleted trout); instead of quick-roasting in a tandoor I pan-fry; instead of ajowan seeds, I have used dried thyme (both contain thymol); and instead of sour oranges I have used a mixture of lemon and sugar. It still tastes marvelous. In Peshawar, this was served with a simple Vinegar-Chili-Onion Dipping Sauce. That recipe is on page 242. You could serve this Western style with boiled parsley potatoes and some green beans, or with Carrots with Cilantro and Potatoes with Cumin and Mustard Seeds.

Recipe notes