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Samkeh Harra
سَمْكة حَرّة
Oven-Baked Spicy White Fish with Cilantro & Almonds Samkeh harra (spicy fish) has many variations throughout the Levant region.
In our version, the tahini is enhanced by the coriander, cilantro, and lemon juice, while the fish gets a kick from cayenne and Aleppo peppers. My mother always says everything tastes better with tahini, and I wholeheartedly agree. The tahinieh in this dish is diluted with water so as not to overpower the other flavours. I serve this dish with cooked coarse Bulgur and some sauteed vegetables. Whether you cook the whole fillet as one piece in the oven, or pan-fry individual pieces, this dish will certainly impress your family and dinner guests.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Tahini Sauce:
- ¾ cup tahini
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¾ tsp salt
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
Cilantro Paste:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large onions, fine dice
- 1 Serrano pepper, sliced
- 1 cayenne pepper, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1½ tsp Aleppo pepper
- ¾ cup slivered almonds
- 2½ cups fresh cilantro, firmly packed
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Bulgur:
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 dried lemons
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups coarse Bulgur
- 2 tsp salt
- ¾ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 3 cups boiling water (or stock)
Whole Fish:
- 1 halibut fillet, 750 g
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp Aleppo pepper
- Cherry tomatoes on the vine
- 6 small zucchinis, cut in half
- 3 small bell peppers
- Olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, whole
- 1 Serrano, sliced in half
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Individual Fish Fillets:
- 1 halibut fillet, 750 g, cut into 3-inch squares
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
- To make tahini sauce, in a bowl, add the tahini and water and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Add the garlic, salt and lemon juice and whisk until silky smooth.
- To make the cilantro paste, in a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Cook the onions until translucent and starting to turn golden, about 8 minutes. Add the cayenne and serrano, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, ground coriander and Aleppo peppers. Stir and cook for 4 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Add the mixture to a food processor, add the almonds and blitz until fine. Add fresh cilantro, lemon juice, salt, pepper, ground coriander and Aleppo peppers and pulse until well combined. With the motor running, gradually add olive oil and blitz until a paste forms. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- To cook the bulgur, place the bulgur in a fine-mesh sieve and quickly rinse under cold running water. Drain.
- In a pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the cinnamon, bay leaf, and dried limes, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the rinsed burghul and the salt, pepper and coriander. Cook, stirring frequently, until the burghul is coated with oil and sizzling, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Pour in the boiling stock (or water) and increase the heat to high. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot with the lid, and cook the mixture for 18 minutes, until the burghul is tender, and the liquid has completely evaporated. Fluff the burghul with a spoon, and allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- To cook the whole fish fillet, preheat the oven to 375 F. Rinse the fish, pat dry and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, coriander, and Aleppo pepper on both sides. Cover the fish with a thick layer of the paste. Arrange some cherry tomatoes on the vine and some sliced zucchini in the baking tray, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes.
- To cook the fish in individual portions, slice the fish into 3-inch squares, pat dry and season with salt, pepper, ground coriander and Aleppo pepper. In a skillet on medium heat, pan fry the fish fillets in olive oil skin side down first, then flip and cook, a total of 6 minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice in the pan just before finishing the cooking. Slice a lemon in half, place face down on the skillet and let char, about 3 minutes.
- To serve individual portions, add a dollop of tahini to the bottom of the dish, then a dollop of the cilantro paste. Arrange two fish fillets on top, a side of Bulgur and some vegetables on the side. Garnish with a charred lemon.