Samke Harra

Samke Harra, meaning "spicy fish" in Arabic, is a celebrated Lebanese coastal dish with roots stretching back centuries along the Levantine shore. Whole fish or fillets are baked in a vibrant sauce of tahini, tomatoes, chili, coriander, and pine nuts — a dish that showcases the extraordinary flavor of the Lebanese pantry.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 white fish fillets (sea bass, snapper, or cod), about 180g (6 oz) each
• 80g (⅓ cup) tahini
• 125ml (½ cup) water
• 3 tbsp (45ml) lemon juice
• 3 tbsp (45ml) olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large green chili, finely chopped
• 1 tsp (3g) ground cumin
• 1 tsp (3g) ground coriander
• ½ tsp (1.5g) cayenne pepper
• 400g (14 oz) canned whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
• Large handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 40g (3 tbsp) pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan until golden
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Season fish fillets well with salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander on both sides.
2. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet or baking dish over medium heat. Sear fish fillets for 2 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, sauté onion for 8-10 minutes until soft and golden. Add garlic and green chili, cook 1 minute.
4. Add cayenne and crushed tomatoes. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until sauce thickens.
5. Whisk tahini with lemon juice and water until smooth and pourable. Stir half the cilantro and half the tahini sauce into the tomato mixture.
6. Nestle fish fillets into the sauce. Pour remaining tahini sauce over the top.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes until fish is cooked through and flakes easily.
8. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and remaining fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.

To serve: Serve directly from the dish with warm flatbread or rice to soak up the sauce.

Cook's Notes: The combination of tahini and tomatoes sounds unusual but produces a sauce of remarkable complexity and richness. Do not overbake the fish — it should be just set and still moist. For a more dramatic presentation, use a whole fish (1.2kg / 2.5 lb) and increase baking time to 25-30 minutes.