Ingredients
2 large mackerel, if you have access to billingsgate fish market you can often get the mackerel from the indian ocean.Smaller then the uk ones.Beautiful flavour, if not available dont worry the recipe has been made with uk mackerel I love this fish so much.
1 to 2 lemons depending on how large they are if they are big and juicy use one.
Salt ,pepper.
1tsp turmeric (this is something my mum does and her fish is the best )
This fish is done in stages so with the ingredients above take the fish removed guts and clean the stomach cavity .My mum always taught me to remove the black bits of the stomach and any blood clots (sounds gross but this is after all fresh fish)Slash the fish as shown in pic.Squeeze the lemon over the fish and in the stomach, this firms the fish and removes the scent,add salt and pepper,turmeric. Set aside and prepare the other ingredients.
6 to 12 chillies depending on how hot you like it .I love chillies so I use 12. cut into smallesr pieces
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Instructions
In a pestle and mortar, (I have done this in a processor and in my opinion it does not have the same flavour the pounding action somehow develops a different flavour than the machine).Add the chillies,ginger, thyme, parsley,and pound until you have a mixture as shown . Add salt and lemon juice to taste it should have a kick and it should have a little citric tang.Use this mixture to stuff the slashes of the fish.(see picture). WARNING; please be careful with this mixture it is very hot do wash your hands throughly and be careful if you need to go to the tiolet,watch your eyes, It really burns!
At this stage the fish can be left quite happily.I often prepare this in the morning leave covered in the fridge and cook it in the evening.The flavours intensify.
When ready to cook set the grill on the cooker to the highest setting and grill the fish on either side if it starts to burn a little too quickly reduce the flame and cook slower, we do however want the fish a deep dark colour , you are trying to replicate the flavour you would get from a barbeque deeply charred and very smoky. It works very well in a conventional grill but taste even better cooked outdoors on wood burning fire/grill.
Serve with baked breadfruit and a simple cucumber salad.Baked breadfruit is done much the same as a baked potato in a conventional oven prick it and bake until soft, when you cut it, it will have a fibrous core remove this with a knife and eat hot immediately.Or you can boil them peel the thick green bobbly skin cut into wedges and remove the core.cover with water and boil,of the two I love it baked .Bon appetite!!!