Spice Crusted Whole Baked Fish Recipe

Whether its a quick mid week meal or looking to impress for your dinner party, this recipe can do both with ease. The slightly coarse dill and coriander seeds works well as a herb based spice crust
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)
- 4 tbs Spice Crust Blend
- 800 g of whole fish (scaled and gutted) e.g. seabass. red snapper, mackerel
- 3 tbs rapeseed oil/veg oil for blend
- 8 tbs breadcrumbs
- 60 g finely chopped parsley
- salt & pepper to taste
- juice of half lemon
- lemon slices
METHOD
- In a shallow glass bowl mix breadcrumbs, parsley, 3 tbs of SPICE CRUST BLEND with 2-3 tbsp oil
- Season with salt and pepper and add the juice of half a lemon.
- Taste and add more seasoning and lemon juice if required
- Line a baking tray with aluminium foil.
- Pat dry the fish with a kitchen paper towel
- Score the fish. Cut slits using a knife, deep enough to cut through the skin. keep them an inch apart across the top of the fish
- Season both sides of the fish and the inner cavity with salt and pepper and place them on the prepared tray.
- Rub the inside of the cavity of the fish with 1 tbs of the SPICE CRUST BLEND
- Further stuff the inside cavity of the fish with the breadcrumb mixture and the slices of lemon
- With the remaining mixture, generously cover the fish with the spice crust mixture all over
- Allow to stand for as little as 30 mins.
- Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fillets. Place in oven at 180 degrees fan asst for 10-15 mins*
- Finish off under a hot grill for a couple of minutes to allow the spices to turn into a crust topping.
*Fish is cooked when it has lost its translucency and is white.
-
- Line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Season both sides of each fish fillet with salt and pepper and place them skin-side down on the prepared tray.
- Top each fillet with 1/4 of the bread crumb mixture. Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fillets. For thicker fillets such as halibut and mahi-mahi, bake for 12 to 15 minutes. For thin fillets such as sole, cod and tilapia, bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Fish is cooked when the fillets have lost their translucence and are white.
- If you like, turn the oven to broil in the last minute of cooking to brown the bread crumbs. Serve hot.
- Place dahl in a pan , add cold wat
Add boiling water to the washed dahl and leave to soak for 1 hour.
- Add a pinch of salt to the dahl and simmer for 40-45 mins
- Meanwhile in another pan heat 2 tbsp of oil
- Add cumin seeds and allow to crackle, add diced onions, garlic and ginger
- Once the onions are soft but not brown, add the chopped tomatoes.
- Add the dahl spice blend and salt. Simmer on a low heat til the tomatoes reduce (10 mins)
- Add the dahl to the tomato mixture and add as much of the 400ml of water as you require for your desired consistency. Carefully stir.
- Taste and add more salt or spices if needed, simmer for 10-15 mins.
- Add the juice of 1/2 lemon, stir and finish off with fresh coriander