Levantine cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Samak Msabbah

Pan-fried fish over coarsely mashed chickpeas with tahini, cumin and toasted garlic oil.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 600 g cod fillet
• 2 cans chickpeas (400 g each)
• 120 g tahini
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 lemons
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Rinse the chickpeas, drain and simmer gently with 200 ml water, 1 tsp cumin and a pinch of salt for 10 min. until very soft.
2. Whisk tahini with the juice of one lemon, two finely grated garlic cloves and salt, and beat in 80–100 ml cold water to a smooth, pale sauce.
3. Coarsely mash two-thirds of the chickpeas with a fork, stir in the tahini sauce and keep the mixture warm – it should stay creamy but still a little chunky.
4. Cut the fish into four pieces, pat dry, season with salt, pepper and the remaining cumin, and fry in 3 tbsp olive oil for 3–4 min. per side until browned outside.
5. In the remaining olive oil, toast the sliced remaining garlic cloves, the pine nuts and the chili flakes for 2 min. until golden brown.
6. Spread the chickpea cream on a platter, top with the whole chickpeas and the fish pieces, pour over the hot garlic oil and serve with parsley and wedges of the second lemon.