Baked Whole Black Pomfret

Baking is like therapy. And when it's fish that's baking then it's Nirvaana! Yes. I love baked fish and I do it many times. Why baking you ask? Let's look at some of the pros. I don't have to baby sit, uses way less oil than pan fried and tastes juicier. Long time back when I first baked, my son, who was a little toddler and my DH sat around and just devoured the fish. I was really amused by my little ones love for the fish. Bake or no bake he never faltered on that tradition of sitting with Dad and eating that first before anything else. As he is getting older he wants me to bake it more than pan frying it. So here is our favorite recipe of mine.

Prep Time: 20 min | Marinating Time: 1 Hr or more | Cooking Time : 30 ~ 35 minutes* | Serves : 4

Ingredients:

Black Pomfret/ Paplet - 4
Chili Powder - 2 tbsp.
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Tamarind Concentrate - 1 tbsp.
Ginger - small lime size
Garlic - 7 big cloves
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - 2 tsp.

Method of Preparation:

~ In a small bowl, grate ginger and garlic. Add everything else but fish, in the ingredient list and mix thoroughly to make a paste and keep it aside.
~ Cut the tail and fins off of the fish. Make a slit near the stomach and clean out everything from inside the stomach. Wash all the fish thoroughly with running water.
~ On each side of the fish, make two slits.
~ Rub the prepared paste onto the fish and inside the hollow stomach area.
~ Cover and let the fish marinate for atleast an hour. (More the better :o)). If you are planning to marinate for more, leave it in the refrigerator.
~ When ready to bake, take out the fish if it's in refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 300 deg Fahrenheit.
~ On a baking sheet, cover with a foil and spray with a non-sticking spray. Line the fish on the sheet and spray again.
~ Stick it in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Half way through at around 20 minutes, flip the fish and continue to bake until a light crust forms on top of the fish.
~ Squeeze some lemon and serve them hot. Meat just slides off the bones if you want to serve in little pieces instead of whole fish.

Best served with some hot rice and Daali Thoy.
* Note that cooking time needs to be increased or decreased depending upon the number of fish. Here I have given approximate time for baking four large fish.

Sending this to Valli's event 'Side Dish Mela'