Crisp-Topped Marinated Sea Bass with Green Chilli, Lime and Coriander

Name: Rukmini Iyer Crisp-Topped Marinated Sea Bass Recipe | Fish Dish
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ¼ white onion; 1 green chilli; 2 cloves of garlic; 1 inch ginger, peeled; ¼ cinnamon scroll; 3 green or black cardamom pods, seeds only; 3 cloves; ½ tsp black peppercorns; 1 tsp sea salt flakes; 10g fresh coriander; 1 lime, juice only; 8 sea bass fillets; 60g panko or white breadcrumbs; 1 tbsp oil or ghee; sea salt and lime wedges, to serve

by Rukmini Iyer from India Express: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Every Day

Punchy lime, chilli, garlic and ginger add plenty of flavour to the panko-crusted sea bass in this easy one-pan fish dish.

Tray Bake Dinner Party

Serves 4

Easy

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Introduction from Rukmini Iyer

This recipe is inspired by the classic Bengali fish-fry, where the fish is marinated in a lovely combination of garlic, ginger, coriander, chilli and lime before being crumbed and shallow-fried. I’ve altered it to an oven-baked dish here for ease, but you could by all means make the authentic version as an alternative: just dust the fillets in flour, then dip in beaten egg and breadcrumbs and fry the fish for a few minutes on each side in a little neutral oil. Serve with buttery white rice.

Ingredients

For the marinade:

¼ white onion

1 green chilli

2 cloves of garlic

1 inch ginger, peeled

¼ cinnamon scroll

3 green or black cardamom pods, seeds only

3 cloves

½ tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp sea salt flakes

10g fresh coriander

1 lime, juice only

For the fish:

8 sea bass fillets

60g panko or white breadcrumbs

1 tbsp oil or ghee

sea salt and lime wedges, to serve

Essential kit

You will need: a Nutribullet or small hand blender or pestle and mortar.

Method

Prep time: 10 minutes + 1–2 hours marinating. Cook time: 30 minutes.

Tip all the marinade ingredients into a Nutribullet or small hand blender and blitz until you have a thick, green mixture. (If you’re doing this by hand, you’ll have to finely chop the onion, chilli, garlic, ginger and coriander and then pound in a large pestle and mortar with the spices, salt and lime juice.)

Lay the sea bass fillets skin side down in a roasting tin lined with baking paper (you want a tin large enough to hold all the fish in one layer). Spread the marinade over each piece of fish, and then cover and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.

About 20 minutes before you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/gas 4. Scatter the breadcrumbs on a baking tray and mix with the oil or ghee and a pinch of sea salt. Transfer the breadcrumbs to the oven for 10–15 minutes and toast until golden brown.

When you’re ready to cook, pat the golden breadcrumbs over the marinated fish and transfer to the oven for 15 minutes until the fish is just cooked through. Serve with a scattering of sea salt flakes and the lime wedges for squeezing.

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