A Yemeniyah's Recipes

This recipes brings back fond memories of the season of ” Bagha” in Aden. Bagha (will have to look up its equivalent in English) is a fish about the same size as the small rainbow trout found in the US.

In the summer, they are abundant in Aden. I remember while we drove home from school or wor, the fishermen selling them on the side of the roads. They are usually sold in bundles of ten, fresh out of the Red sea , with their silver skins glistening in the sun. The last time i visited Aden in 1999–in July and August–I requested them but they were no where to be found. They are a seasonal treat.I personally can sit and eat the bundle of ten on my own.

If you don’t like whole fish, then you can use the same recipe for fish fillets. I enjoy it whole.

For this recipe you will need:

1) 3 tblsp of red chilly paste (I make my own. You can too, by soaking some red dried while Mexican chillies in water overnight–I get the mild ones–and then liquidize them in a food processor. Make sure the mixture is smooth, and does not have any small bits that might get stuck in your throat. They are very unconfortable)

2) 1 tsp of ground cumin

3) 1 tsp of ground coriander

4) salt to taste

5) 3 cloves of garlic finely minced

6) small to medium size rainbow trout

7) 3 tblsp of Olive Oil

Wash the rainbow trout well with cold water–inside and out. Cut it open from the middle–from its spine so it opens up like a book. You just want to cut it far enough so it opens up (see pic)–you don’t want to separate the fish into two pieces.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together well and cover the whole fish–YES EVER NOOK AND CRANNY. I like to coverand leave it in the refrigerator for an hour or two for it to suck up the flavors.

This is not a deep fried fish–Adenis NEVER deep fry fish. For fying you will need a frying pan big enough for the fish to fit comfortably (GOTTA MAKE THE FISH HAPPY HA HA HA).

Heat the oil in the frying pan, and then gently place the fish TUMMY down. Let it cook for about 6 minutes , or when it loosens from the frying pan. DO NOT FLIP IT WHEN IT IS STILL STICKING TO THE PAN–it will come apart and won’t come out picture perfect like mine  .

Gently flip to the other side and cook for another 5-6 minutes or until cooked through, and is nice and crispy on the outside.

Serve with wedges of lemon.

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This is an Adeni classic. Since Aden is a coastal region people eat fish more often than lamb, beef or chicken. And this is a 2-3 time a week meal for many families who, most often, can only afford fish. Although nowadays, even fish is becoming very expensive.

I love this dish, it is one of my favorites. It brings back warm memories of my dear mother who taught me how to make it, and me working hard to make it taste EXACTLY like hers. This was the very first dish I learned from my mother, and was the only one I could cook for a long time until she taught me some other dishes.

Well, here is the recipe:

1) 1 7oz salmon fillet cut into 2 bite cubes (of course you can use any fish that holds well in a sauce and does not break easily. You can use a whole rainbow trout, fresh tuna steaks, and salmon)

2) 1 small onion finely chopped

3) 2 medium sized patatoes quartered

4) 2 tbslp olive oil

5) 2 cloves garlic minced

6)1 medium tomato diced

7) 1 1/2 tbslp tomato paste

8 ) 1 tblsp of red chilly sauce or more if you so desire (usually adenis have this on hand–they soak red chillies overnight and then liquidize them in a liquidizer and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator)

9) quarter of a medium sized eggplant cubed [and/or a fistful of okra]

10) 2 tblsps of finely chopped cilantro

11) Salt to taste

12) 1/2 tsp of concentrated tamarind paste

13) 1/4 tsp of ground cumin

14) 1/4 tsp of ground coriander

Alright, here goes. On medium heat sautee the onions in the oil with the garlic and patatoes unitl the onions is golden brown. Add, the fish and sautee for about 3 minutes, until the fish changes color but is not entirely cooked through.

Add the chillie paste/sauce, cumin and coriander and let cook for another 2-3 min. DO NOT ADD WATER. You want the flavors to marry without being diluted with water. Then add the eggplant and/or okra, tamarind paste, and diced tomatoes and let cook again for about 2 minutes.

Add a cup of water and let simmer under medium to low heat unitl the patatoes are cooked through. Add salt to taste and add the tomato paste and let the sauce thicken, and cook until the oil rises to the surface. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with rice.

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