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Maleh
Salted fish stew
Maleh (مالح): Emirati salted fish stew with onion, tomato and spice, made the safer home way
Before refrigeration, fishermen in Ras Al Khaimah and along the coast of the United Arab Emirates packed their surplus catch in salt for weeks, and maleh is still cooked in Emirati homes, especially in winter, with rice and fresh lime. The stew is sharp and deeply savoury, the firm salted fish flaking into a thick onion and tomato gravy warmed with bezar. This home version salts fresh fish in the fridge for 2–3 days, which gives the same firm, briny bite without the long cure; ready-cured maleh from a Gulf grocer is soaked and used in the same way. The mistake people make is forgetting to soak the fish, which leaves the dish too salty to eat. Chef's tip: taste a flake after soaking; it should be pleasantly salty, like an olive, before it goes into the pot.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the salted fish
- 1 ½ lb firm white fish filletssuch as kingfish, hamour or cod, in 5 cm pieces
- 5 ½ oz coarse sea salt
For the stew
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ tbsp bezar or curry powder
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 handful fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Two or three days ahead, toss 1 ½ lb firm white fish fillets with 5 ½ oz coarse sea salt in a glass or plastic box, cover and keep in the fridge, draining off the liquid each day. The pieces will turn firm and slightly translucent.
Step 2: On the day, rinse the fish well and soak in cold water in the fridge, changing the water twice, until a small flake tastes only pleasantly salty. Pat dry.
120 minStep 3: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan and fry 2 onions over a medium heat until soft and golden.
10 minStep 4: Add 4 garlic cloves and 1 tbsp fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute, then stir in 1 ½ tbsp bezar or curry powder and ½ tsp ground turmeric for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2 minStep 5: Add 3 tomatoes and 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook until the tomatoes break down and the oil shines on top.
10 minStep 6: Stir in 1 tbsp tamarind paste and 1 ¾ cups water and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste before adding any salt: usually none is needed.
5 minStep 7: Slide in the fish and simmer gently, without stirring hard, until it is opaque all the way through and flakes easily.
10 minStep 8: Scatter with 1 handful fresh coriander and serve with white rice and lime.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does maleh take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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