RECIPE · GIANT GROUPER · MAIN
Fish Tandoori
with Grouper
A whole side of fish is surprisingly easy to prepare: brushed with a fragrant tandoori marinade and gently cooked in the oven, the grouper stays wonderfully juicy while yogurt, warm spices and a subtle heat build a deliciously aromatic profile. Served with basmati rice and green chutney.
Serves 4
Difficulty: Medium
Prep 55 min
Oven 200°C
Yogurt · Garam Masala
Ingredients:
- 1 giant grouper fillet with skin, approx. 700 g
- 150 g yogurt (3.5% fat)
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (alternatively: hot paprika)
- 1 tsp turmeric (turmeric powder)
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander seeds
- 1 piece of ginger (approx. 1 x 2 cm), finely grated to a paste
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated into a paste
- 1 tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- A little ghee or vegetable oil for the ovenproof dish
For the basmati rice
- 200 g basmati rice
- 300 ml water for cooking
- ½ tsp salt
For the green chutney
- 1 bunch of cilantro
- 1–2 sprigs of mint (about 1 handful of leaves)
- 1 green chili
- 1 piece of ginger (approx. 1 x 1 cm)
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 50 g yogurt (3.5% fat)
- A pinch of salt
To serve
- 80 g flaked almonds
- Fresh cucumber slices
How to cook it:
After gently defrosting the grouper fillet overnight in the fridge, rinse it briefly under cold running water and then pat it dry thoroughly.
For the marinade, mix the yogurt with garam masala, Kashmiri chili powder (which is mild and gives a particularly lovely red color), turmeric, cumin, ground coriander seeds, lemon juice, ginger and garlic paste, salt and freshly ground pepper until a creamy spice paste forms.
Generously coat the flesh side of the fish with the marinade, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours. The fish will be even more flavorful if left to marinate overnight. In this case, use less salt in the marinade and only add salt immediately before cooking.
Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking so that the fish can come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Grease a baking dish with a little ghee or vegetable oil and place the marinated grouper fillet in it, skin-side down. Cook in the preheated oven for approx. 25–30 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and the flesh flakes easily.
Meanwhile, prepare the basmati rice. Place the rice in a sieve and wash thoroughly under cold water until the water runs off almost clear. Then cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet, using the correct amount of water and a little salt. Washing the rice removes excess starch and loosens the grains, ensuring the rice turns out nice and fluffy.
For the green chutney, place the cilantro leaves, mint leaves, green chili, ginger, garlic, cumin and yogurt in a blender and purée to a fine, creamy sauce. Season to taste with a little salt.
Gently toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan without oil until golden brown. As soon as the grouper side is cooked through, sprinkle with the toasted flaked almonds and serve with the basmati rice and green chutney.