Goan-style barbecue snapper recipe

​Recipe and photo: Roslyn Lawrence

Flavoured with coconut, ginger and garlic, this fish dish is high in protein and fibre.

Ingredients
For the Goan-style marinade

• 1 bunch coriander, washed
• 2 garlic cloves from 1 bulb
• 1 dessert spoon fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 or 2 red chillis, seeds removed (Small chilli varieties tend to be hotter)
• 3 peppercorns
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp stevia
• 1/4 cup fresh coconut flesh

 

• 1 whole snapper (about 700g), cleaned and scaled (ask your fish monger to do this)
• 1 garlic bulb (minus 2 cloves used in the marinade)

 

• cooking twine
• 1/2 cup fresh coconut juice
• 2 bunches of asparagus
• 2 lemons, halved
• 2 ears of corn, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 red capsicums, quartered
• 1 dessert spoon of olive oil

Method
Preheat oven or barbecue to 190 degrees.

Combine coriander, 2 cloves of garlic, ginger, tamarind, chilies, peppercorns, turmeric, salt, stevia and coconut flesh in a food processer, blend together until the ingredients form a thick paste. Add a small amount of coconut juice if needed to make the paste smooth.

Lightly score the fish making three diagonal cuts on each side, being careful not to cut all the way through the flesh.

Stuff the cavity of the snapper with the marinade and bind the fish together with twine.
Place snapper in a roasting tray. Pour 1/2 cup of coconut juice over the fish, cover with foil and bake in the oven or on the barbecue for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the flesh flakes away easily with a fork.

When the fish has about 10 minutes to go, add the asparagus to the tray. You may wish to add extra coconut juice if the tray is dry.

Brush the remaining garlic cloves, lemon halves, corn and capsicum with olive oil and place on a preheated barbecue plate or griller. Cook for 10 minutes, turning frequently, until corn is tender and golden brown and the capsicum skin blisters.

To plate, arrange the asparagus on a large serving dish, place the whole snapper on top. Add the grilled vegetables over and around the fish, garnish with a few coriander leaves and slices of chilli.


Average per 350g (includes vegetables)

• Energy 1250kJ
• Protein 36g
• Fat 7g
• Saturated fat 4g
• Carbohydrate 17g
• Sugars 5g
• Dietary fibre 6g
• Sodium 510mg

Recipe analysed by Food and Nutrition Australia