JASHEED
QATAR | UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | BAHRAIN
Jasheed is a typical dish from the Arabian Gulf, made with baby shark, which is plentiful in the Gulf. If you can’t find baby shark, use Atlantic mackerel or Pacific halibut and prepare in the same way. Be careful not to let the fish dry out as you cook it. I tried it in many different places and only once did I have it moist, in a totally unpromising café in Fujairah, one of the seven emirates. The café was attached to a catering kitchen where we had been filming for my “The Chef Discovers” show that aired on Abu Dhabi TV several years ago. The chef was showing my co-presenter, the poet Tarek El Mehyas, and me how to prepare various Emirati dishes including jasheed, and the owner invited us to taste his dishes. His jasheed was by far the best I had tried and the following recipe approximates his. Jasheed is normally served with rice, but it is also lovely wrapped in pita bread, or spread over toasted bread to have an Arabian version of bruschetta.
SERVES 4 TO 6
FOR THE FISH
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
2 green cardamom pods
2¼ pounds (1 kg) baby shark fillets (or mackerel or halibut)
Sea salt
FOR THE SAUCE
2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
3 pale dried limes, halved
½ bunch cilantro (3½ ounces/100 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
1 small green chili, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons b’zar semach (Arabian Fish Spice Mixture)
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Sea salt
White rice garnished with crispy fried onions or Pita Bread, for serving
1. To prepare the fish. Put the turmeric, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, and 3 cups (750 ml) water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the fish and salt to taste and let bubble gently for 20 minutes, or until the skin peels off the fish easily. Drain well. Skin the fish and flake it into small pieces.
2. To make the sauce: Melt the ghee in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring regularly, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and dried lime and sauté for a minute or so. Add the cilantro and sliced chili, then the flaked fish and mix well. Cook until the mixture is fairly dry, then add the b’zar semach, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, and salt to taste. Reduce the heat to low and cook for a few more minutes, or until there is no liquid in the pan. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve with rice or wrapped in a pita.