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Ghalieh mahi
Fish stew with coriander and tamarind
Ghalieh mahi (قلیه ماهی): Bushehri fish stew with coriander, fenugreek and tamarind
Ghalieh mahi is the signature stew of the Persian Gulf ports of Bushehr and Abadan, cooked for Friday lunches and big family gatherings. It starts with a mountain of coriander and a little fenugreek fried slowly in oil with garlic until almost black-green, then sharpened with tamarind and warmed with chilli and turmeric before chunks of firm fish are poached in it. The result is dark, sour, fragrant and properly hot, eaten over plain white rice. A common mistake is rushing the herbs: they need a full 20 minutes of frying or the stew tastes grassy instead of deep. Chef's tip: brown the fish pieces quickly before they go into the sauce; they hold together better and add a little roasted flavour.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1 ½ lb firm white fish fillets (grouper, sea bream, cod or hake)cut into 5 cm pieces
- 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 6 tbsp sunflower oil
For the sauce
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 8 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 9 oz fresh corianderleaves and tender stems, very finely chopped
- 2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 tsp chilli flakesmore for a Bushehri heat
- 1 tbsp rice flour or chickpea flour
- 2 ⅛ oz tamarind pulpsoaked in 250 ml hot water
- 1 ½ cups water
To serve
- 1 ¾ lb cooked white basmati rice
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Toss the 1 ½ lb firm white fish fillets (grouper, sea bream, cod or hake) with half the ¾ tsp ground turmeric and half the ¾ tsp salt. Cover and keep in the fridge while you make the sauce.
5 minStep 2: Squeeze the soaked 2 ⅛ oz tamarind pulp through a sieve into a bowl, pressing the pulp hard; throw away the seeds and fibres. You should have about 250 ml of thick brown liquid.
5 minStep 3: Heat half the 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide heavy pan over a medium heat and fry the 1 onion for 8 minutes until golden. Add the 8 cloves garlic and fry 1 minute until fragrant.
9 minStep 4: Add the 9 oz fresh coriander and 2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves and fry over a medium-low heat, stirring often, for 20 minutes. The herbs will shrink, darken to a deep green-black and smell toasty; this is where the flavour comes from.
20 minStep 5: Stir in the 1 tbsp rice flour or chickpea flour, the rest of the ¾ tsp ground turmeric and the 1 tsp chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the tamarind liquid, the 1 ½ cups water and the rest of the ¾ tsp salt, bring to a simmer and cook gently for 15 minutes until slightly thick.
16 minStep 6: Meanwhile heat the rest of the 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a frying pan over a high heat and sear the fish for 1 minute a side, just to colour it. It will still be raw in the middle.
4 minStep 7: Slide the fish into the sauce, spoon sauce over it and simmer very gently, covered, for 8–10 minutes. Don't stir; shake the pan instead. The fish is done when it is opaque all the way through and flakes easily. Taste and add salt or chilli.
10 minStep 8: Serve hot over the 1 ¾ lb cooked white basmati rice.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ghalieh mahi take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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