Fish haraimi is a spicy dish that originates from the Jewish community in Tripoli, Libya but is popular across the Mediterranean. The key to its bold, aromatic flavour is the “felfel u ciuma” a paste made from paprika (felfel) and garlic (ciuma). Caraway is also traditional – I buy and grind the seeds – but you can replace it with ground cumin.

It’s traditionally made with bone-in fish steaks, but also works well with fillets. I’ve used cod but sea bass, sea bream, snapper, and even tinned tuna are great alternatives. It’s usually served with bread on weekdays or couscous on Shabbat and high holidays and is a classic for Rosh Hashanah.

Serves 4

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 45 min to 1 hour

Ingredients:
100ml extra virgin olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
Felfel u ciuma (see below)
140g tomato paste or purée
150ml water
1 tsp ground caraway, plus optional extra to serve
4 portions of fresh cod loins/fillets
Fresh parsley to garnish (optional)

Felfel u ciuma
6 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp paprika
½ tsp salt
Juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp ground caraway (optional)
2 tbsp water

Method:

• Heat the oil in a large, deep, non-stick frying pan over a low heat, add the onion and shallow fry, covered, for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned.
• Meanwhile, prepare the felfel u ciuma by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl and stirring well to create a paste.
• Add the felfel u ciuma to the onions, stir well and cook gently for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato purée, stir and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the water, stir well, cover and cook for about 30-45 minutes over a low heat. The longer you cook it, the deeper the flavour. The sauce should be thick but not dry so add more water if needed.
• When the sauce is ready, add the caraway, stir, then add the fish. Spoon sauce over each fish steak or fillet and cook, partially covered, for about 10 minutes for steaks and 5 minutes for fillets.
• Serve, sprinkled with more ground caraway, with bread or couscous and enjoy the spiciness. Garnish with parsley if desired.
  
  Note: It’s worth doubling up on the felfel u ciuma, as leftovers keep for several weeks stored in a glass jar in the fridge, covered with a thin layer of oil. It will add a spicy kick to a variety of dishes.

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