Lebanese Spiced Fish with Tahini
A Lebanese dinner sized for one person, ready in 24 minutes. There's a kick to it.
Per portion
Calories from protein 25%, carbs 14%, fat 61%. Estimated from the ingredients.
Roughly £3.10 a portion.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a frying pan and soften the onion and pepper for 8 minutes until soft, adding the chilli and cumin for the last minute. Tip onto a plate.
- 2
Cut a wedge from the lemon and keep it back, then whisk the tahini with the juice from the rest of the lemon, the garlic and 2 tbsp water until smooth, then add more water a little at a time until it pours (it thickens before it loosens). A bigger batch takes longer to reduce: go by how it looks, not the clock.
- 3
In the same pan, fry the fish for 3–4 minutes each side until just cooked and it flakes easily.
- 4
Season to taste, then spoon the tahini sauce over the fish straight away, top with the onion and pepper mixture, and scatter with pine nuts and coriander. Serve with the lemon wedge.
Cook's notes
- Sizes. Vegetables, fruit and eggs are medium unless the recipe says otherwise. A tin is a standard 400g tin.
- Dairy. Salted or unsalted butter both work; with salted, go easy on any extra salt. Use full-fat soured cream, crème fraîche and yoghurt in anything hot, as low-fat versions split.
- Stock. A cube or pot made up as the packet says. Cubes are salty, so taste before adding more salt.
- Heat. Medium means a gentle sizzle, not spitting. High means the oil shimmers before the food goes in. A simmer is a few lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. Leave the lid off unless the recipe says to cover.
- Pans. A small saucepan is about 16cm and a frying pan about 24cm. Sauces reduce faster in a wider pan, so go by how it looks rather than the clock.
- Doneness. Chicken and turkey should reach 75°C in the thickest part, pork 65 to 70°C, and beef steak 55°C for medium-rare. Rest steaks and chops for a few minutes before slicing.
- Finishing. Taste before serving. Most dishes want a pinch more salt, and a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar lifts anything rich.
- Leftovers. Cool quickly, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, then reheat until piping hot. Cooked rice keeps for 1 day and should only be reheated once.
solosupper.co.uk/recipes/lebanese-spiced-fish-with-tahini/
