Spiced Baked Whole Fish
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes (30+30 minutes)
- 1 whole fish (I used a silver perch, around 600g)
Spiced Oil
- 250ml/1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 80g/3ozs. ginger, cut into slices
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1.5 tablespoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 100g/3.5ozs. tomato paste
- 5 coriander roots or coriander stalks
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1-2 teaspoons chilli flakes (depending on heat level and taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Step 1 - Add the oil to the onions, garlic and ginger and bring to a very gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and on a low heat simmer for 25 minutes. Remove the ginger pieces and cinnamon stick. Strain the oil and keep in a jar in the fridge. Separate the paste.
Step 2 - Preheat oven to 220C/440F. Line or grease a tray and place the fish on it and season on both sides with salt. Spread with some of the sauce and oil (you won't need all of this, this makes a cup's worth). Bake for 30 minutes.
Step 3 - Then place the fish under the grill and allow to crisp up for a few minutes. Serve with extra oil and lemons.