Persian Pan-Fried Fish
Makes 6 servings
It’s traditional for Iranians to eat fish, a symbol of life, on the eve of their new year. The process of looking for the best fish, buying and preparing it for the feast is a tradition similar to an American’s hunt for the just right turkey on Thanksgiving.
There are two popular ways of cooking fish for the New Year. One is to stuff it with fresh seasonal herbs such as cilantro, tarragon and leeks. Herbs hold a special place at the center of Iranian cuisine, especially for Nowruz. Making food without them would be unthinkable, as this is the time of year when all the greens that don’t grow in winter are available again, and just in time for the celebration that marks the start of spring.
Another popular way of making fish is to simply pan-fry it.
Serve with herbed rice or fresh herbs. From Washington cook Yeganeh Rezaian. Ingredients 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (granulated garlic) 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 1/2 pounds thick, white-fleshed, skinned fish fillets, such as sea bass, halibut or cod 1/2 lemon or lime, plus lemon wedges for serving 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil One-inch piece unpeeled fresh ginger root, cut crosswise into 5 slices (may substitute a good pinch of ground ginger; optional)
Instructions: Whisk together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, turmeric, saffron and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
Cut the fish into good-size pieces (4 or 5 inches long). Squeeze a few drops of juice from the lime or lemon over both sides of the fillets, so they are evenly moistened. Working with one at a time, press all sides of each fillet into the spice mixture so the fish is evenly coated. (Discard any unused spice mixture.)
Line a platter with paper towels. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the ginger, if using, and cook for a minute or two. Add just enough pieces of fish, skinned sides first, to avoid overcrowding; pan-fry for about 5 minutes, or until golden and crisped, then use two spatulas or large forks to carefully turn over the fillets and cook for about 3 minutes, until opaque, yet moist throughout. (The ginger stays in the pan the whole time, if you are using it.
Transfer to the papertowel-lined platter to drain briefly, then serve right away, with lemon wedges.
Nutrition: Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.