Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Marinating time: A few hours
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Works well with: Bream, Silver, any plate-sized Fish With A Story
Occasion: Braai, Get togethers, Special occasion
Ingredients
4 whole Fish With A Story, 500–750 g each
salt and milled black pepper
mint sprigs
fennel fronds
olive oil
60 ml Berbere paste
Avocado & melon salad
For the Berbere paste:
10 ml cumin seeds
6 whole cloves
5 ml cardamom pods, lightly crushed
5 ml whole coriander seeds
1 small red chilli, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
20 g green ginger, peeled and chopped
30 ml paprika
2 ml turmeric
2 ml ground cinnamon
2 ml milled black pepper
2–3 tbsp olive oil
- Place the cumin, cloves, cardamom and coriander in a dry fring pan and roast, tossing lightly until aromatic.
- Grind with a pestle and mortar or spice grinder.
- Add the chilli, garlic and ginger and continue grinding to a fine paste.
- Mix in the paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and pepper.
- Bottle and store in the fridge.
For the Avocado and Melon Salad:
1 avocado
½ small sweet melon (spanspek)
60 ml chopped coriander
30 ml roughly chopped mint leaves
45 ml olive oil
juice of 2 limes
salt & milled black pepper
- Peel and stone the avocado and cut into small cubes. Toss into a bowl.
- Skin and pip the melon and cut into small cubes. Add to the avocado with the coriander and mint.
- Pour over the olive oil and flavour with lime juice, salt and pepper. Toss everything together.
Method
- Make a few deep slashes in the sides of the fish and season with salt and pepper.
- Tuck mint sprigs and fennel fronds into the body cavities.
- Smear berbere paste all over and rub in with your hands.
- Place in a dish and drizzle with olive oil.
- Set aside for a couple of hours in a cool spot (or in the fridge), then start the braai.
- Braai the fish over medium-hot coals for about 25 minutes until cooked through, turning frequently.
- Serve one per person with avocado and melon salad on the side.
Fish With A Story is powered by ABALOBI – a South African-based, global organisation seeking to elevate small-scale fishing communities for healthier oceans and thriving ocean communities
