Whole Fish, Tikin Xik Style

Here’s how to prepare tikin xik with a whole fish. In place of the mahimahi fillets called for in Yucatán-Style Grilled Fish on the opposite page, substitute one large whole fish, such as snapper, grouper, or pompano, trimmed of fins and cleaned, with its head and tail left on.

1. Rinse the fish, inside and out, under cold running water. Drain and blot it dry with paper towels. Make 5 or 6 deep diagonal slashes, to the bone, in each side of the fish. Place the fish in