GRILLED HALIBUT WITH INDIAN SPICES

GRILLED HALIBUT WITH INDIAN SPICES image

Categories Fish

Number Of Ingredients 22

Ingredients

for Yogurt Sauce
3 cups whole-milk yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 serrano chile, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
for Halibut
· 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
· 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
· 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
· 6 cloves
· 1 tablespoon turmeric
· 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
· 8 halibut fillets or steaks, about 6 ounces each
· Salt and pepper
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 8 yellow tomatoes, in small wedges
· Yogurt Sauce
· A handful of mint leaves

Steps:

for Yogurt Sauce Put the yogurt in a bowl. In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil over a medium flame. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. When the seeds begin to pop, add the garlic and let it sizzle, without browning, about 10 seconds or so. Scrape the contents of the pan into the yogurt. Stir in the ginger and chile. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. The sauce will keep in the fridge for a day or two, but it tastes best freshly made. It also makes a good dressing for cucumber salad. for Halibut · In a dry cast-iron pan, toast the cumin, coriander, fennel, and cloves over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder or mortar and grind fine. Put the ground spices in a small bowl and add the turmeric and cayenne. · Lay the halibut on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the fish, then massage it in. Cover and refrigerate for up to several hours. Bring the fish to room temperature before cooking. · Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. Grill the halibut over medium coals for 3 minutes per side, until just opaque throughout (the fish can also be cooked under the broiler, baked in a hot over, or pan-cooked). · Arrange the halibut on a large platter and surround with the yellow tomatoes. Sprinkle the tomatoes lightly with salt. Spoon a little yogurt sauce onto each portion and pass the rest at the table. Sliver the mint leaves with a sharp knife and scatter over the platter.