Pan-fried fish with tahini-onion sauce

A great dish should capture the essence and flavours of the region. In this case, the flavours of the Arabian Peninsula are showcased with sweet and hot paprika, the creaminess of tahini, and the freshness of lemon juice.

This is a super simple dish to prepare, but the flavours are sublime and the dish is visually beautiful. The smoky spice from the paprika is unmistakably present, but subtle, and paired with the fresh, moist fish, it is a dish that portrays elegance and luxury. This dish is both the showpiece on the table and will also become a guest favourite quickly.

This is a relatively new cookbook in my library. It is filled with contemporary Arab recipes, each one a delight, like this one. Each recipe has an introduction that pr, precedes it, explaining the origins of the dish and its history, something I enjoy about reading and cuisine, I have so much to learn about. It's a wonderful cookbook, one you'll see me cook from again.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, sliced thinly

Salt, to taste

1 cup tahini

3/4 cup water

3-4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon spicy paprika

1/2-1 teaspoon chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon tomato paste

1/2 cup Greek yoghurt, whipped smooth

2 lb fish fillets, red snapper, tilapia, sea bass, or your choice, skin-on

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon parsley, minced for garnish

1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted, to garnish

1 red chilli, thinly sliced (optional)

Rub the fish fillets with salt and allow to sit for 30 minutes in the fridge.

To make the sauce, in a saucepan, heat the oil and add the onions. Cook over a low flame. Stir the onions until they are very soft and translucent, but not brown, about 5-10 minutes.

Add the tahini, water, lemon juice, sweet and hot paprika, and tomato paste and stir well to make a well-incorporated sauce. Cook the sauce down for about 5 minutes over low heat until the sauce is aromatic and the aroma of paprika is released. Taste and adjust salt and spice levels with chilli powder. You want a sauce that has a hint of chilli, do not make it super spicy.

Cool the sauce and incorporate the yoghurt into it. Set aside till needed.

NOTE: Once you add the yoghurt, you can never boil the sauce; it will split. To warm, heat gently on a low stove, stirring almost continually, till warm to low hot. Take off the stove.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the fish fillets, starting with the skin side down. Push the edges of the fillet down with a spatula so they do not start curling up. Fry for 2-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Turn over and fry for 2-3 minutes till the bottom is cooked and the fish is flaky and moist. Do not over-fry the fish, as this can cause it to become dry and unappetizing.

To serve, gently heat the sauce and ladle it onto a wide plate. Layer the fish fillets on the sauce. Garnish with pine nuts and parsley, and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Serve immediately with Persian pilaf or bread.