Make Fish the Hero of Your Holiday Spread
Spicy fish with Tahini - A Middle Eastern-style grilled fish served with a spicy, creamy, tahini sauce and topped with fresh and crunchy garnishes.
Growing up in a Middle Eastern household, tahini was the secret ingredient that made everything better — from drizzling it over vegetables to dipping it with bread, it was a staple in our kitchen. Tahini is known to have originated in the Levant, and is a cornerstone of Eastern Mediterranean cooking, particularly in countries like Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus and Turkey.
I believe, the real magic happens when you put tahini on fish. One of my all-time favourites is Samkeh Harra — a grilled snapper topped with a spicy tahini sauce, fresh herbs, pomegranate, and pine nuts. Traditionally, the snapper meat is picked and baked in the tahini sauce. Some add tomatoes to the sauce for a sweeter flavour. My take on this recipe raised a few eyebrows at the family dinner table this week, but let me tell you, they wiped their plates clean. I paired the smokey snapper with a green tahini sauce and used toppings similar to what my family would use when cooking the original recipe. So, there were familiar undertones and flavours that capture the essence of the recipe I grew up eating. It’s a simple dish but full of flavours and textures.
I’ve shared the recipe below as well as a swordfish skewer recipe we enjoyed alongside the snapper.
Do let me know if you give it a try - and I hope you too, wipe your plates clean.
Everything is better with a little tahini.
Scroll for recipe.
Samkeh Harra (Spicy fish) with Tahini
Recipe (Serves 8)
Ingredients
For the Fish:
1 whole snapper (I used a 1.5kg NZ snapper thanks to Astakos Fish)
3-4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 lemons, sliced
Fresh coriander roots (reserved from coriander bunch, for the sauce)
For the Sauce:
4 heaped tablespoons tahini
A splash of water (adjust for desired consistency)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
A bunch of fresh coriander leaves
A handful of spinach leaves
2 long green chilies, chopped
Juice of 2-3 lemons
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Toppings:
Pomegranate arils (seeds)
Fresh mint leaves
Fresh dill fronds
Toasted pine nuts
Sliced long green chilies
Thinly sliced radish
Method
1. Prepare the fish:
Preheat your BBQ to medium heat.
Rub the whole snapper with a slice of lemon to add flavour and help prevent sticking.
Make 3 diagonal cuts along the top of the fish (use a sharp knife). Stuff the cuts with lemon slices.
Stuff the cavity of the fish with garlic cloves, coriander roots, and more lemon slices.
Place the fish into a fish basket (sprayed lightly with oil to prevent sticking) and set on the BBQ grill.
Close the BBQ cover and grill for 30 minutes. Check halfway through and flip the fish for even cooking.
2. Prepare the green tahini sauce:
In a blender or food processor, combine tahini, oil, water, coriander, spinach, green chilies, lemon juice, and garlic.
Blend until smooth, adding salt and pepper to taste. The consistency should be runny like a smoothie —adjust with a little more water if needed.
Place the sauce in the fridge to chill while the fish is grilling.
3. Prepare the toppings:
Wash and dry the mint, dill, and spinach leaves.
Slice the long green chillies and radish thinly for garnishing.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant.
4. Check the fish:
When the fish is done, the eye should appear white and opaque, and the flesh should flake easily with a fork.
Carefully remove the fish from the grill and set aside to rest for a few minutes.
5. Assemble:
On a large platter, pour the chilled green tahini sauce.
Place the grilled fish on top.
Garnish with pomegranate arils, mint leaves, dill, toasted pine nuts, sliced chillies, and radish.
Serve with additional tahini sauce on the side.
This dish is great served with a side of rice, deep-fried Lebanese bread, or a fresh, crisp salad like a fattoush!
Scroll down for the swordfish skewers recipe.
Swordfish Skewers Recipe
The simple fish skewer, marinated in citrus and spices - enjoy it as a side.
Recipe (serves 6)
Ingredients:
900g swordfish steaks (about 4 steaks), cut into medium sized cubes
1 tbsp ground cumin
3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 green chilli, chopped
1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
For grilling:
Skewers
Fresh herbs for garnish (such as mint, parsley, or dill)
Method
1. Prepare the marinade:
In a large bowl, combine the ground cumin, garlic slices, chopped green chilli, chopped coriander, lemon juice, and a generous drizzle of evoo
Add the swordfish cubes to the bowl and mix gently to coat all the fish with the marinade.
Cover the bowl with glad wrap and refrigerate for 4-6 hours to allow the flavours to come together.
2. Skewer the fish:
After marinating, thread the swordfish cubes onto skewers
3. Grill the skewers:
Preheat a grill or BBQ to medium heat. If using a pan, heat the pan over medium-high heat.
Place the skewers on the grill or in the pan and cook the swordfish for 45 seconds to 1 minute per side, or until the fish is cooked through and has grill marks. Be careful not to overcook the fish.
4. Serve:
Once the skewers are cooked, remove them from the heat.
Serve the swordfish skewers with the same green tahini sauce you used for the grilled snapper (see previous recipe).
Garnish with fresh herbs like mint, coriander, or dill for an extra burst of freshness and enjoy!
Merry Christmas,
Estelle.
