Monday 23 March 2015

WHOLE GRILLED FISH



If an ardent rice and fish lover is prescribed by the doctor to have less amount of carb, she has to omit the rice from her meals and be happy with the fact that she has no restrictions on eating fish. Now eating fish curry without those white grains is a pain sort of... curries are not soups to be enjoyed alone...we need some kind of bread or rice to go along. Some alternatives had to be planned, so that the meal is satisfying, filling without adding much carbohydrates to the diet. Perhaps good habits are taking over....be it by force...or for health reasons....at times for a change too.

Besides...we do not get fresh water fish in this island much ... it gets difficult to match our kind of curries to the sea fish found in abundance here. Grown up in a state with rivers around, we are used to fresh water fish, big and small. It was a major problem for me when I first landed here ...what fish to cook? so less were the options. Moreover, two pairs of parents were too concerned about non availability of fresh water fish here. I had to learn alternative ways of having fish to assure them we are having it regularly. You may be laughing but thats the way Bengal...both east and west think.

In the process, I learnt to cook fish in a healthier way...grilled, baked, sautéed. I have seen that this way I can get rid of the smell that sea fish generally have....specially to them who are not much used to it. For an average adult, grilled fish, salad and a hearty bowl of soup should be as filling and healthy without any guilt of wrong eating. Yes, I did use spices but a permissible amount is always welcome.... Yesterday our long lost childhood buddy Ranjan Bose visited us after 30 years....the food platter had to be special. I prepared this grilled whole grouper as an appetiser.




INGREDIENTS :

Whole Fish : 1 medium[I used grey grouper]
Vinegar : 4 tbsp
Garlic Paste : 2tsp
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Tandoori Masala Powder : 2 tbsp[ I used store-bought]
Salt : As required
Oil : 2tbsp [olive preferably]
Coriander Leaves : 2tbsp chopped

METHOD :

Clean the stomach and the scales of the fish and wash thoroughly. Pat dry. Make slits on each side.

Marinate the whole fish with vinegar, salt, chilli powder, ginger n garlic paste, oil thoroughly. Keep aside for at least 2-3 hours.

Chop and wash the coriander leaves. Mix with little salt, chilli powder and stuff the fish stomach with it.

Grill the whole fish one side for 12-14 minutes brushing oil every 5 minutes. Turn over and grill the other side for 10 minutes brushing oil every 5 minutes. I always use the grill option of my microwave oven.

Each oven has different temperature level, so adjust timing accordingly.

Squeeze lemon juice over the grilled fish and serve with salad!!




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