Ingredients
2.5 kgs whole white fish
2-3 onions, sliced
250 ml (1 cup) oil
Juice of half a lemon
1 lemon, sliced
For the seasoning:
3 tsp baharat spice
1 ½ tsp cumin
Salt and white pepper to season
For the rice
1 ½ l (6 cups) water
600 gm (3 cups) rice
1 tbsp salt
For baking the fish
125 ml ( ½ cup) water
For the garnish
2-3 tbsp pine nuts
Crispy caramelised onions
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170⁰C/ 325⁰F. Gut, scale, remove the head, then wash, clean and dry the fish. Keep the fish head.
2. To caramelise the onions, heat half the oil in a pot or pan and add the onions.
3. Let them cook on a gentle heat until caramelised or brown/black in colour but not burned. Remove the crispy onions from the pot, place on kitchen paper to remove excess oil to reserve and keep a little oil in pan for frying the fish head.
4. To make the fish stock, add the fish head to the oil in the pan in which the onions were cooked. Add 1 tsp Baharat spice, 1 ½ tsp ground cumin, salt and pepper and fry. When browned, add the water and let it boil for 45 minutes.
5. Strain and use it to cook the rice. To prepare the rice: wash the rice three times. And soak it for 30 minutes. Add only half of the remaining oil to a large pot. When hot, add the rice, 1 tsp baharat spice mixture and ½ tsp cumin.
6. Stir-fry to seal the rice for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the reserved stock over the rice, keeping one cup of the stock aside for the sauce. Bring the rice to a boil on high heat. When boiling, reduce the heat and let it cook gently for 20 minutes or until all the stock has been absorbed.
7. Meanwhile, bake the fish. Using the remaining oil, oil the oven roasting pan and the fish. Season it inside and out with salt, pepper and the remaining ground cumin and baharat spice mixture. Place the sliced lemon inside the fish. Place the seasoned fish into the roasting pan, pouring in the half cup of water and then bake in the preheated oven for one hour.
8. To make the sauce, heat the reserved cup of fish stock and add the juice of half a lemon, then let it boil to reduce and thicken. Strain and serve with the fish.
9. To serve, pile the cooked rice on a platter and top it with pieces of fish. Garnish with the crispy caramelised fried onions and pine nuts.
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