Roasted cod with a coriander crust

Samak mashew bil cozbara w al limon

The combination of fish and tahini is one we find hard to resist, but this works just as well without the tahini sauce if you’re looking for a shortcut or want to keep the focus on the lemon. Either way, this is as close to fast food as you can get. It’s a 15-minute meal to make, beginning to end. Possibly even less time to eat.

If you are using the tahini sauce, make the whole quantity of the master recipe below. It keeps in the fridge for about 4 days and is lovely to have around to drizzle over all sorts of roasted vegetables, meat, fish and salads.

Playing around: Any other meaty white fish works just as well here: sea bass and halibut, for example. Salmon also works well.

Serves four

• 60ml olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 50g coriander, finely chopped
• 2½ tsp fish spice mix (see below)
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 4 large cod loin (or another sustainably sourced white fish), skin on (about 700g)
• 4 large fresh bay leaves (optional)
• 2 lemons: cut one into 8 very thin slices, and quarter the other lengthways, into wedges, to serve
• About 4 tbsp/65g tahini sauce (optional) (see recipe below), to serve
• Salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 250°C fan.

Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a small saucepan and place on a medium-low heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 10 seconds, then add the coriander, fish spice mix, chilli flakes, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently, for the garlic to really soften, then remove from the heat.

Place the cod in a parchment-lined roasting dish, skin side down, and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper then spoon the coriander mix on top of each fillet. Spread it out so that the whole top is covered, then top each one with a bay leaf, if using, along with 2 slices of lemon. Roast for 7–8 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. Serve at once, with about a tablespoon of tahini sauce drizzled over, if using, and a wedge of lemon alongside.

Tahini sauce

Tahini sauce: the creamy, nutty, rich addition to many a snack, dish or feast. It’s there on every table in Palestine, ready to be dipped into or drizzled over all sorts of things: roasted vegetables, fish or meat, and all sorts of leaf, pulse or grain-based salads. It keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days, so always make the full recipe here, even if what you are cooking only calls for a few tablespoons.

Makes 1 medium jar

• 150g tahini
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Salt

Mix together all the ingredients, along with 120ml of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt. If it is too runny, add a bit more tahini. If it is too thick, add a bit more lemon juice or water. You want the consistency to be like that of a smooth, runny nut butter. It will thicken up when left to sit around, so just give it a stir and some more lemon juice or water every time you use it.

Fish spice mix
Baharat samak

This is used throughout the chapter – in dishes such as the fish kofta, roasted cod, spiced fish and baked mackerel – so double or triple the batch, if you like. It keeps well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month, and much longer in the freezer. It’s also great to use as a marinade for all sorts of things: cubes of chicken or tofu, for example, prawns for the barbecue or roasted mixed vegetables.

Makes just over 2 tbsp

• 2 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground turmeric

Place all of the spices in a bowl and mix well to combine. If making more than you need, transfer to a sealed container where it will keep for a month.