In Your Face Gelfilte Fish” Chraime” Sephardic Fish in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Chraime – Spicy Braised fish


” Chraime” Sephardic Fish in Spicy Tomato Sauce is a fish dish prepared in a sauce with tomatoes, hot peppers and other spices prepared traditionally by Israeli Jews of North African origin for the Friday night Sabbath meal and also for Rosh Hashanah and Passover. It has now become and everyday fish dish served in market cafes, commercial and industrial kitchens and at home for weekday meals, definitely the Sephardic cuisines answer to the Ashkenazi Gelfilte fish.Spicy Sephardic fish

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups water
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
1 table spoon sweet paprika
1bunch coriander chopped roughly
2 to 3 tsp. hot red chili, seeded and chopped
2-3 pieces dried sweet red peppers
1 kg red snapper, sea bass, halibut, grey mullet or similar firm fleshed fish filets
lemon wedges

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil at low temperature.
2. Add the paprika and cumin seeds and fry until fragrant
3. Mix together ½ cup water, lemon juice, tomato paste, salt, the garlic, and chili and add to the oil. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Add the fish and the remaining water.
5. Add the coriander (reserving some for garnish)
6. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Serve warm with lemon wedges and plenty of crusty fresh bread.