‘Fish doesn’t have to be boring—my mother taught me that. Samke harra translates to “spicy fish,” though it’s more about a gentle kick than true heat. It’s a perfect balance of creamy, nutty tahini and the crunch of golden, roasted nuts. Oh, I do love nuts! I usually overload my plate so you almost can’t see the fish anymore, but that’s me. The nuts bring a deep, toasty richness that elevates the dish into something truly irresistible.’
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
Samkeh Harra sauce
- 8–10 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1½ tsp pink Himalayan salt, plus a pinch, divided
- 300g (generous 1 cup) tahini (sesame paste)
- 275ml (generous 1 cup) water
- 130ml (½ cup) fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp crushed pine nuts
- 2 tbsp crushed cashews
- 2 tbsp crushed peanuts
- 2 tbsp crushed almonds
- 50g (1 cup) cilantro (coriander), chopped
- Pinch of chili powder
Fish
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 2kg (4lb 8oz) whole sea bass or 1kg (2lb 4oz) sea bass fillets (or any fish)
- Pinch of pink Himalayan salt
- Pinch of white pepper
- 1–2 bay leaves
Garnish
- 60g (½ cup) roasted cashews
- 60g (½ cup) roasted pistachios
- 30g (¼ cup) roasted pine nuts
METHOD
For the Samkeh Harra sauce:
- Place the garlic cloves in a pestle and mortar and sprinkle them with the pinch of salt. Crush into a very fine paste. Set aside.
- In a bowl, mix together the tahini and water until well combined. Add the remaining 1½ teaspoons of salt, fresh lemon juice, and a third of the garlic paste. Mix until well combined. Give it a taste test, and adjust the salt as needed. Set aside. This is your tarator.
- In a skillet (frying pan) over medium heat, heat 1½ tablespoons of the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the crushed nuts and fry, shaking the pan occasionally, until the nuts are golden brown and fragrant, about 5–7 minutes. Remove the nuts from the pan and set aside to cool.
- In a pot, heat the remaining 1½ tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic paste and the chopped cilantro (coriander). Stir for just 1 minute and then turn off the heat. Do not overcook your cilantro! It should stay green.
- Add the crushed nuts and the prepared tarator to the pot and stir once or twice to combine. Turn the heat back on and increase too medium. Let simmer for 5 minutes and then stir in a generous pinch of chili powder. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to serve.
For the fish:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 (350°F).
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment (baking) paper. Place a few slices of lemon on the parchment paper. Place your fish on top and season with the salt and white pepper. Lay the remaining lemon slices and the bay leaves over the fish.
- Bake in the oven for 10–15 minutes (depending on the type of fish you use) until the flesh loses its raw, translucent look, and becomes opaque and solid.
- To serve, remove the bay leaves and lemon slices and place your fish on a large platter. Pour the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the roasted cashews, pistachios, and pine nuts.
TIP: If you’re serving a crowd and want something a bit more impressive, you could roast vegetables to go alongside the fish, including a head of garlic cut in half horizontally, some whole garlic cloves, a few new potatoes, quartered red onion, orange slices, chili peppers, and sprigs of thyme. Once everything is cooked, you could even place the fish on top of the vegetables to serve.
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