Yemenite Fish in Tomato Sauce
(Samak Yemeni)

Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as an appetizer

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups water
• 16 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish spice, or to taste (see below)
• 1 tablespoon hawaij (see below)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 scallion, with stalk, chopped
• 3 pounds firm white-fleshed fish fillets, such as whiting, flounder, or cod, cut into 3-inch pieces

Mix oil, water, tomato sauce, fish spice and hawaij in a large skillet and simmer on a low flame for 15 minutes.

Add scallion to pan. Slide fish pieces carefully into pan, making sure not to break them up. Simmer on a low flame for 15 minutes. Remove from flame and let cool. Remove fish pieces to a serving dish and pour sauce on top. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Fish Spice Mixture

• 3 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 8 whole cloves
• 8 cardamom pods

In a spice or coffee grinder, or with a mortar and pestle, grind spices together finely and store in a tightly closed container.

Hawaij Spice Mixture

• 3 tablespoons cumin
• 4 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 4 tablespoons turmeric
• 6 whole cloves
• 7 cardamom pods

Follow the same procedure as in the fish spice mixture above.