
I wanted to share this recipe as it’s so versatile. You can use any whole fish that you like and change your salad with the seasons, adding beetroot and sprouts in the winter months and radish, cucumber and tomato in the summer.
I am sharing my tandoori spice mix recipe as it’s a lovely blend to have available whenever you fancy a bit of spice but there are brands available in the supermarket.
4 whole fish (bream, bass or trout) Heads removed
4 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp tandoori spice mix (shop bought or homemade – see below)
1 tbsp olive oil
Tomato salad
1 tbsp lime juice
1 banana shallot, thinly sliced
3 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 tbsp coriander, chopped
1 tbsp mint, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
cayenne pepper, pinch
1 tbsp coconut or white wine vinegar
salt, pinch
Tandoori spice mix
3 tbsps paprika
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cloves
If you are making your own spice mix. Put all the ingredients together and store in a jar.
In a small bowl, pour the lime over the sliced shallots and leave for 15 minutes
Preheat the oven to 200C fan
Prepare the salad by layering the sliced tomatoes, onions and herbs until it is all used up. Drizzle with the vinegar and any lime juice left in the onion bowl, season with a pinch of cayenne pepper and sea salt. Leave to stand while you cook the fish.
Make 4 or 5 slits down each side of all the fish and lay on a lined baking tray. Mix the tandoor spice mix, olive oil and tamarind and, using your hands, rub all over the fish getting some into the cuts.
Place the fish in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve with the salad.

Ideal with:
Whole masala fish with tomato salad
Ingredients
- 4 whole fish (bream, bass or trout) gutted and descaled
- 2 tbsp tandoori spice mix
- 4 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Tomato salad
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 banana shallot sliced thinly
- 3 large tomatoes sliced thinly
- 2 tbsp coriander chopped
- 1 tbsp mint chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp coconut or white wine vinegar
- pinch of salt
Tandoor spice mix
- 3 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- If you are making your own spice mix. Put all the ingredients together and store in a jar.
- In a small bowl, pour the lime juice over the sliced shallot and leave for 15 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 200C fan
- Prepare the salad by layering the sliced tomatoes, onions and herbs until it is all used up. Drizzle with the vinegar and any lime juice left in the bowl, season with a pinch of cayenne pepper and sea salt. Leave to stand while you cook the fish.
- Make 4 or 5 slits down each side of all the fish and lay on a lined baking tray. Mix the tandoor spice mix, olive oil and tamarind and, using your hands, rub all over the fish getting some into the cuts.
- Place the fish in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.Remove from the oven and serve with the salad.
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