Name: Arabian Spiced Fish with Saffron Rice
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Gulf Arabian
Ingredients: 2 (1 1/2-lb) whole red snapper or sea bream, scaled and gutted; 3 lemons, 1 juiced, 2 cut into wedges; 6 garlic cloves, grated, divided; 1 tbsp baharat spice blend; 1/4 cup olive oil, divided; 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 20 minutes; 1/2 tsp saffron threads, steeped in 3 tbsp hot water; 5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; 1 cinnamon stick; 2 tbsp ghee; 1 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems; 2 green chilies, such as serrano; 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes; 1/2 cup mixed olives; 2 tsp red chili flakes, for serving; to taste kosher salt

Arabian Spiced Fish with Saffron Rice

4.7 from 595 home cooks Free

Whole snapper rubbed inside and out with baharat, garlic and lemon roasts until the skin tightens and crisps, then lands on fragrant saffron basmati studded with cardamom. Bowls of chili flakes, a quick cilantro green sauce, a tart tomato sauce and olives let everyone season their own. A centerpiece for a long, shared table.

Prep

45 min

Cook

40 min

Total

1 hr 25 min

Serves

Level

Medium

Cuisine

Gulf Arabian

Method

Step 1: Cut 3 deep diagonal slashes to the bone on both sides of each fish. Mix 4 of the garlic cloves with the baharat, the lemon juice, 3 tbsp olive oil and 2 tsp salt, and rub the paste into the slashes and cavities. Marinate in the fridge 20 minutes.
Step 2: Heat the oven to 425F. Set the fish on an oiled, parchment-lined sheet pan and roast 25 to 30 minutes, until the skin is browned and the flesh at the thickest part near the backbone is opaque and pulls away from the bone easily.
Step 3: While the fish roasts, melt the ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat. Fry the cardamom and cinnamon for 1 minute, add the drained rice and stir gently for 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add 3 cups water and 1 1/2 tsp salt, bring to a boil, then drizzle the saffron water over the top without stirring. Cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes, then rest 10 minutes off the heat.
Step 5: For the green sauce, blend the cilantro, green chilies, the remaining garlic, the remaining 1 tbsp oil, a squeeze from a lemon wedge, 3 tbsp water and a pinch of salt until smooth.
Step 6: For the red sauce, simmer the crushed tomatoes with a pinch of salt and a pinch of the chili flakes for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Step 7: Fluff the rice so the yellow and white grains mix, remove the whole spices, and spread it on a large round platter. Lay the fish on top, tuck lemon wedges around, and serve with small bowls of the green sauce, red sauce, olives and chili flakes.

Kitchen note

Scoring whole fish lets the spice paste reach the flesh and helps heat penetrate the thick middle, so the tail end is not overcooked by the time the center is done.