Fish Stew

Name: Fish Stew (Margat Simach)
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Cuisine: Iraqi
Ingredients: 3 heaped tablespoons (6 oz/175 g can) tomato paste, diluted in 4 cups (950 ml) hot water or 15 oz/425 g can tomato sauce diluted in 3 cups (715 ml) water; ¼ cup (½ oz/15 g) parsley, coarsely chopped; 1 teaspoon prepared noomi Basra or 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice; 3 medium potatoes (about 12 oz/340 g), peeled and cut into 1 in/2.5 cm cubes; 1½ teaspoons salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 lbs (900 g) boneless and skinless fish fillet, cut into 4 serving-size pieces; ½ teaspoon turmeric; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped; 2 tablespoons oil

Margat Simach

Preparation info

Makes
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Delights from the Garden of Eden

By Nawal Nasrallah

Published 2019

About

Cooked in a simple tomato sauce, fish stays deliciously moist and succulent, and potatoes pair very nicely with it. Unfortunately, in its original region, Iraq, it is not a very popular type of stew. River fish is full of bones, which makes it a rather hazardous dish to cook this way. That’s why I have never really had enough of it.

Ingredients

2 lbs (900 g) boneless and skinless fish fillet, cut into 4 serving-size pieces

Asia
Iraq
Fish course
Pescatarian
Gluten-free

Method

Sprinkle fish pieces with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Set aside in a colander fitted on a deep dish, to drain.
In a heavy medium pot, sauté onion in oil until translucent, 5 minutes. Add turmeric and potatoes and stir for 1 more minute.
Add diluted tomato paste or sauce, noomi Basra, salt, and pepper. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat to