It’s WRECIPE WEDNESDAY! If you made ‘QUICHE & TELL‘ from last Wednesday’s column, please go back to the post and let us all know how it came out and what variations you made to the ingredients! If you took a picture, please share!
For this week’s recipe, we’re going to India by way of Southern California! Make the meal a CELEBRATION by breaking out an Indian themed movie – Gandhi, Life of Pi, The Hundred Foot Journey, Slumdog Millionaire, or, if there are kiddies in the house, Jungle Book (the animated one) to watch pre/post/during dinner!
This recipe calls for Opah (Hawaiian Moonfish). The ‘health’ wonks report that Opah “is a rich source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, phosphorus, and selenium. It is also low in sodium. Hawaii Moonfish also provides about 1800 mg of omega-3’s (DHA and EPA) per 4 ounce serving of fresh fish.” If you can’t find Opah, tuna or swordfish are good stand-ins (or swim-ins!).
TANDOORI OPAH
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Serves 2
INGREDIENTS:
[Note: I tend to spice by shaking, so measurements are approximate “to taste;” shake to taste on the cumin, cayenne and paprika, using twice as many cumin and paprika shakes as cayenne shakes!]
1 lb. Opah (substitute Tuna or Swordfish if Opah not available)
1 drizzle EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
salt and pepper, to taste
⅓ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. chili garlic paste/sauce (I, personally, use the Huy Fong brand)
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
½ tsp. ground paprika (DON’T USE THE SMOKED ONE, just regular paprika)
½ small liquefied red chili (Thai red chili works for me!)
lemon zest from 1 small lemon
DIRECTIONS
- Season Opah with EVOO, salt and pepper.
- Prepare firecracker aioli by combining remaining ingredients
- Place fish in baking dish, and spread aioli on top.
- Bake for approx. 17 minutes at 400 degrees, until fish is nice and flaky tender. (DON’T OVERCOOK FISH – BETTER TO UNDERCOOK THAN OVERCOOK, IMHO!)
Serve with cilantro-lime rice or basmati rice, a nice fresh salad (cucumber/onion/tomato/mango with fresh squeezed lime juice), a piece of warm Naan, and a tall glass of iced, fresh-brewed chai tea!
WARNING: This IS a spicy preparation, so adjust chili/garlic paste if need be, and leave out the liquefied red Thai chili, if need be. Tip – if concerned, add ½ of the chili garlic paste to your firecracker aioli, and taste before adding the rest; then taste before adding the liquefied red Thai chili. Remember, it will get a LITTLE bit spicier as it heats up.
