Fish soups similar to this one have been in the Arabian (aka Persian) Gulf region for hundreds of years. I relished such a soup made with hamour (grouper) and shrimp in one of the restaurants in Dubai’s Heritage Village. The spices and shrimp in this soup blend well with the tasty hamour making this dish a succulent treat.
SERVES: 8
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOKING TIME: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 small jalapeño or other fresh finger-length green chili pepper of your choice, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste (see page 30)
- 1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 cups (1.5 liters) water
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste, diluted in 1 cup (250 ml) water
- 1/2 lb (250 g) fresh grouper (hamour) fillet, 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) thick, cut into small pieces (substitute with cod or haddock)
- 1/2 lb (250 g) fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan with a lid over medium heat. Add the minced onion and the finely chopped chili pepper. Sauté for 10 minutes, uncovered.
- Add the crushed garlic and grated ginger to the saucepan. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the salt, turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, water, and diluted tomato paste. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the fish and shrimp to the saucepan, then cover it. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the finely chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve the dish hot.
