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White Fish With Sesame Paste

A community recipe by

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

We call this TAJEN in Lebanon. It is basically fillets of white fish cooked smothered in a divine Tahini (sesame paste) sauce.

We call this TAJEN in Lebanon. It is basically fillets of white fish cooked smothered in a divine Tahini (sesame paste) sauce.

Ingredients

Serves: 6 to 8 people.

Metric Cups

For the Fish

  • 800 grams white fish (fillets e.g. Sea Bass or Sole. Skinned and deboned)
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 600 grams onions (medium-sized, thinly sliced)
  • 250 millilitres water (hot)
  • salt
  • white pepper

For the Tahini Sauce

  • 250 millilitres tahini (sesame paste)
  • 250 millilitres water
  • 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 125 millilitres lemon juice

For the Decorations

  • trimmings (from cooked white fish)
  • 63 millilitres pinenuts
  • 3 leaves fresh parsley

For the Fish

  • 28¼ ounces white fish (fillets e.g. Sea Bass or Sole. Skinned and deboned)
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 21⅙ ounces onions (medium-sized, thinly sliced)
  • 9 fluid ounces water (hot)
  • salt
  • white pepper

For the Tahini Sauce

  • 9 fluid ounces tahini (sesame paste)
  • 9 fluid ounces water
  • 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 4 fluid ounces lemon juice

For the Decorations

  • trimmings (from cooked white fish)
  • 2 fluid ounces pinenuts
  • 3 leaves fresh parsley

Method

White Fish With Sesame Paste is a community recipe submitted by SamIAm and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

  • Pre-heat oven at 200 degrees.
  • Brush the fillets of fish with 1/3 of the amount of olive oil.
  • Sprinkle with salt and white pepper.
  • Put the fish fillets in an oven proof pan that has been greased with oil.
  • Put pan in the oven and bake between 12 to 20 minutes (depending of thickness of fish).
  • Take the pan out of the oven and keep the fish warm.
  • Meanwhile with what was left of the olive oil, fry the onion, tossing them constantly in the pan until they wilt but do not change color, about 7 minutes.
  • Add a cup of hot water over the onions, cover the pan, not fully, and cook on low heat until all water evaporates and the onions have softened.
  • In a bowl, mix the tahini with the 1-3/4 cup of water. Add the crushed garlic.
  • Then the lemon juice. Pour over the onions in the pan and bring to a boil for a few seconds on low heat.
  • Shred the cooked fish into a 20x30cm Pyrex dish. Keep a few fish pieces on the side.
  • Pour the tahini sauce over the fish.
  • Add the pieces of fish left on the side on top of the tahini sauce and the pine nuts.
  • In an oven that has been pre-heated at 180 degrees, put the Pyrex and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pine nuts take color.
  • Once out of the oven sprinkle the top with parsley and serve.
  • Pre-heat oven at 200 degrees.
  • Brush the fillets of fish with 1/3 of the amount of olive oil.
  • Sprinkle with salt and white pepper.
  • Put the fish fillets in an oven proof pan that has been greased with oil.
  • Put pan in the oven and bake between 12 to 20 minutes (depending of thickness of fish).
  • Take the pan out of the oven and keep the fish warm.
  • Meanwhile with what was left of the olive oil, fry the onion, tossing them constantly in the pan until they wilt but do not change color, about 7 minutes.
  • Add a cup of hot water over the onions, cover the pan, not fully, and cook on low heat until all water evaporates and the onions have softened.
  • In a bowl, mix the tahini with the 1-3/4 cup of water. Add the crushed garlic.
  • Then the lemon juice. Pour over the onions in the pan and bring to a boil for a few seconds on low heat.
  • Shred the cooked fish into a 20x30cm Pyrex dish. Keep a few fish pieces on the side.
  • Pour the tahini sauce over the fish.
  • Add the pieces of fish left on the side on top of the tahini sauce and the pine nuts.
  • In an oven that has been pre-heated at 180 degrees, put the Pyrex and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pine nuts take color.
  • Once out of the oven sprinkle the top with parsley and serve.
  • Additional Information

    If served hot, TAJEN can be eaten with rice. At room temperature it can be a buffet dish eaten as an accompaniment to other dishes like a baked fish. I like to eat TAJEN at room temperature with deep fried pita bread and a green salad.

    If served hot, TAJEN can be eaten with rice. At room temperature it can be a buffet dish eaten as an accompaniment to other dishes like a baked fish. I like to eat TAJEN at room temperature with deep fried pita bread and a green salad.

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