In Dubai, I, with a group of friends, enjoyed this dish in one of the people’s restaurants. Forget the fork and knife, it was finger-licking good! While I enjoyed my grouper, I thought of the long association of fish with Arab culinary tradition. From the storehouse of stories relating to fish, there is one of a host who wanted to impress his dinner guest, the Caliph Harun al-Rashid. When the Caliph was served what seemed to be a whole fish, he asked his host
why the fish had been cut into such small slices and then re-shaped into the form of a fish. The answer? This fabulous treat was composed of over 150 fish tongues which had cost the host over 1,000 dirhams. The Caliph, however, did not appreciate this needless expense and stopped eating. Instead, he ordered his host to distribute over 1,000 dirhams to the poor to make up for the host’s wastefulness. A large hamour will often be the main dish at a feast meal when served over a bed of rice and garnished with limes. If grouper is not available, snapper or halibut are good substitutes or, for a less authentic but still delicious taste, try salmon. Diced Vegetable Salad with Tahini Dressing goes well with this dish, and any type of fish or fish dish, for that matter.

Serves 4 to 6

PREP TIME: 1 hour
COOKING TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole 3-lb (1.5-kg) grouper (hamour), fins and tail clipped, and thoroughly washed (substitute red snapper or bass)
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup (50 g) finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
• 3 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Arabian Gulf Spice Mix (Baharat)
• Generous pinch of ground cardamom
• 1 cup (250 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rub the fish inside and out with half of the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper. Set aside.
2. Combine the onion, coriander leaves, tomato, pepper, Arabian Gulf Spice Mix, cardamom, the remaining garlic, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Blend the remaining 6 tablespoons of lemon juice with the oil in a blender until fluffy. Pour half of this lemon mixture into the bowl with the tomato and onion mixture. Stir to mix well.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
5. Spread one-third of the tomato and onion mixture, a little bit wider than the width of the fish, onto the bottom of a greased baking pan large enough to hold the fish. Stuff the fish with another one-third of the tomato and onion mixture. Place the fish over the mixture in the baking pan. Spoon the remaining one-third of the mixture over the top of the stuffed fish. Pour the remaining lemon-oil mixture over it.
6. Cover with foil then bake for 40 minutes.
7. Uncover and scrape any vegetables still on top of the fish into the baking pan and set aside.
8. Transfer the fish to a sheet pan or broiler pan and place under the broiler for 5 minutes, or until the fish begins to brown.
9. Serve with the sauce and the bits of vegetables.