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Fish tikka
فش تکہ (fish tikka): Karachi's spiced fish chunks grilled on skewers
On winter nights along Karachi's seafront and in the Do Darya restaurants, skewers of fish tikka go round the table straight from the grill, the chunks blushing red from chilli and yogurt with blackened corners. Firm white fish such as surmai (kingfish) or monkfish holds its shape while the marinade sets into a light, tangy crust, and it needs only lemon, sliced onion and a bowl of raita. The mistake most people make is marinating fish as long as chicken: more than 40 minutes and the lemon and salt start to 'cook' it, so it flakes apart on the skewer. Contains fish and milk. Chef's tip: rub the fish with lemon and salt first, rest it 10 minutes and pat dry before the yogurt goes on, so the marinade sticks and doesn't slide off.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb firm white fish (kingfish, monkfish or halibut)skinless, cut into 4 cm chunks
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 ½ oz thick plain yogurthung for 30 minutes if thin
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)crushed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp gram flour (besan)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp chaat masala
- 1 onioncut into petals, for the skewers
- 1 lemoncut into wedges
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ½ lb firm white fish (kingfish, monkfish or halibut) with 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes, then pat dry with kitchen paper.
10 minStep 2: Stir 3 ½ oz thick plain yogurt, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds), 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp gram flour (besan) and half of 1 tbsp vegetable oil into a thick paste. Fold the fish through it gently.
3 minStep 3: Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes, no longer.
30 minStep 5: Grill under a very hot grill or over hot coals for 8–10 minutes, turning once and brushing with the rest of 1 tbsp vegetable oil, until the edges char and the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes when pushed with a knife.
10 minStep 6: Sprinkle with 1 tsp chaat masala and serve at once with 1 lemon.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fish tikka take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 10 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 lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of thick plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
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