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Safi mashwi
Safi mashwi (صافي مشوي): Bahraini grilled rabbitfish stuffed with garlic, coriander and chilli
Safi, the rabbitfish, is the fish Bahrainis love most, and on weekends it comes off the grills of seafront restaurants in Manama and Budaiya stuffed with a green paste of garlic, coriander and red chilli. The flesh is sweet and delicate and the skin turns crisp and smoky. It is eaten with white rice, a little daqqus and plenty of lime. The common mistake is overfilling the belly so the fish splits on the grill. Chef's tip: rabbitfish has sharp spines on its fins; ask the fishmonger to trim them, or snip them off with kitchen scissors before you start. Any small whole sea bream or bass works if safi is not available.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 whole rabbitfish or small sea breamabout 350 g each, cleaned, scaled and spines trimmed
- 1 bunch fresh coriander
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 limes1 juiced, 1 in wedges
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (3)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Pound or blend 6 garlic cloves, 1 bunch fresh coriander, 2 red chillies, the juice of one of the 2 limes and ¾ tsp salt into a coarse paste.
Step 2: Pat 4 whole rabbitfish or small sea bream dry and slash twice on each side. Spoon the paste into the belly cavities, not too full.
Step 3: Mix 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp ground turmeric, the rest of ¾ tsp salt and 3 tbsp vegetable oil and rub over the outside. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 4: Heat a charcoal grill or oven grill to high. Grill the fish in an oiled basket or on a rack until the skin is blistered and crisp underneath.
8 minStep 5: Turn and grill the other side until the flesh near the bone is opaque and flakes easily.
8 minStep 6: Serve with the lime wedges and rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does safi mashwi take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 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 garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of fresh coriander?
- Flat-leaf parsley with a little mint (for people who dislike coriander too).
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