WHOLE FISH BAKED WITH OLIVES AND MASALA

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup black OLIVES FROM SPAIN
  • 1 pc whole fish, around 1-1.5kgs (white flesh, freshwater fish like Rohu)
  • 2 pcs onions
  • 1 ½ inch pc ginger
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 pc lemon
  • Handful of fresh basil and or coriander
  • Salt to taste

Preparation time:

1 hour

Level of difficulty:

Easy

Serves:

4-6 portions

PREPARATION

  1. Very finely slice ½ a medium sized onion, squeeze some lemon juice and set aside.
  2. To prepare the marinade, chop one and a half onions and the ginger and grind together. Squeeze out the juice in a bowl, add salt ½ tsp garam masala, juice of half a lemon and 1 tbsp oil. Mix well.
  3. Make 3 diagonal incisions on either side of the scaled, cleaned and slit fish, just deep enough to go through the skin.
  4. Tear out a piece of foil, big enough to wrap around the fish. Place the foil on a baking tray, place the fish on it and slather on the marinade on both sides and on the inside of the fish.
  5. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for 10-15 minutes.
  6. Pre-Heat the oven to 200 degrees.
  7. Take the fish out of the fridge, and stuff the middle with the black olives, sprinkle half the chilli flakes and rest of garam masala inside.
  8. Seal the fish well with the foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  9. After 20 minutes take the fish out of the oven, uncover the foil, drain the extra juice out into a gravy pot.
  10. Turn the oven to grill mode, if needed (depending on how fatty your fish is) brush with some more olive oil and grill for 10 minutes. ( It would turn slightly brown and crisp).
  11. Top the fish with the sliced onion in lemon juice, green coriander and basil, sprinkle the rest of the chilli flakes, a few more olives and serve.