Grilled Hammour

Grilled hammour marinated with lemon, garlic and warm Gulf spices, cooked until moist inside with lightly charred edges.

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Hammour is a prized Gulf fish with firm white flesh that works well on the grill. A short marinade adds flavour without overpowering the fish or making the surface mushy.

Ingredients

• 800 g hammour fillets (4 equal pieces)
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves (finely grated)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 0.25 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp paprika
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp fresh coriander (chopped)
• lemon wedges (to serve)

Step-by-step method

1. Pat the hammour dry and check carefully for pin bones. If the fillets have skin, score the skin lightly in two or three places so they stay flatter on the grill.
2. Mix the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, black pepper and salt in a shallow dish.
3. Coat the fish with the marinade and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes only. A much longer acidic marinade can start changing the texture of the fish before cooking.
4. Preheat a barbecue, grill pan or oven grill until hot. Clean and lightly oil the cooking surface to reduce sticking.
5. Remove excess marinade from the fish and place it on the grill. If skin-on, start skin-side down. Cook without moving for 4–5 minutes so a good crust forms.
6. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and cook the second side for 3–5 minutes depending on thickness. The fish should be opaque and flake at the thickest point; about 63°C is a useful internal-temperature guide.
7. Move the fish to a clean plate and rest for 3 minutes. Do not cover tightly, which would soften the grilled surface.
8. Scatter with fresh coriander and serve with lemon wedges, rice, salad or grilled vegetables.