Guide to making the perfect Emirati grilled fish

Seafood is a big part of Emirati cuisine and this grilled fish eaten at the Bayt Al Wakeel restaurant that has been a heritage site since the 1930s promises to give you an authentic experience.

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Preparation Time: 15 mins

2 sea bream fish

80 ml fresh orange juice with pulp

40 ml lemon extract

10 gms lemon grass

10 gms Thai ginger

40 gms onions chopped

10 gms chopped green chilly

50 gms ginger paste

50 gms crushed ice

100 ml corn oil

1 pinch of salt

5 gms saffron

Sauce:

1. Combine all the ingredients and grind to form a smooth paste.

Preparing, marinating and grilling:

1. Clean the fish thoroughly and then carefully with a knife running through the side joint slit open from one side and cut it all the way from its neck to its tail. Put some slits over the fish skin as well.

2. Sprinkle the outside of the fish with salt and rub lemon to remove any strong fish odor.

3. Open the fish, with flesh side down and brush the marinade over the skin and the slits. Now turnover the fish, with skin side down and brush the marinade over the flesh, reserving some of the marinade to use at the final stage of grilling. Let the fish soak up the marinade for 30 minutes.

4. On a grill tray place aluminium foil as the base for the fish.

5. Preheat the grill at 200 °C. Place in the fish with skin side down first. Cook for 8 to 10minutes. Flip the fish over, flesh side down, and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes longer, or until cooked through.