Samaka Harra (Syrian Spiced Fish)

Ingredients

•  6 large garlic cloves, peeled

•  1 1/2 teaspoons salt

•  2 fresh red or green long chili peppers, seeded

•  1 small onion, cut into pieces

•  1 large ripe tomato (9 to 10 ounces), peeled and seeded

•  3 tablespoons tomato paste

•  1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seeds

•  1 whole red snapper (about 6 pounds), scaled, gutted and cleaned but left whole with head and tail on

•  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

•  Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

•  1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation, according to Food network :

1-        In a mortar, pound the garlic and salt together until mushy.

2-        Put the chili peppers and onion in a food processor and chop finely.

3-        Add the tomato and process in bursts until it is chopped.

4-        Remove to a medium-size bowl and stir in the pounded garlic, tomato paste and cumin.

5-        Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Score the fish in three places on each side.

6-        Lay the fish in a baking pan and coat with the olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with the chili pepper sauce.

7-        Bake the fish until the dorsal fin feels as if it will come off with a tug, about 1 hour, basting with the accumulated olive oil in the baking pan. Sprinkle with the coriander and serve.

L.Razzok