Food Talk: Grilled fish gets a Moroccan twist

The Jim Corbett National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India for sighting the majestic tiger. The sprawling sanctuary stretches from the Terai Bhabar region in Kumaon to the Rajaji National Park in the foothills of Shivalik in Hardwar and Dehradun. Even if the elusive tiger is not glimpsed, one can take delight in the diversity of the wildlife — herds of elephants, spotted deer, barking deer, sambar, monitor lizards and much more. In recent years, it has also become a preferred wedding destination. There are many resorts that promise picturesque locations for different events like mehndi, sangeet, phere and post-wedding revelry.

Recently, we discovered a hidden gem that outshines the competition — VOCO Jim Corbett. The narrow road that leads through a cluster of houses doesn’t prepare you for the expanse of wide open space, beautifully landscaped. There are fruit trees — mango and litchi as well as two rudraksh trees under which the meditation mandap nestles. The view from the rooms is stunning even when the flow of water is reduced. At sunset, it is sheer magic, with a streak of molten gold.

What took our breath away was the quality of gourmet food served. We were bowled over by grilled fish chermoula. Gone are the days when those who camped in the forest had to rely on foraged stuff. The Corbett National Park is girdled by two beloved rivers of Uttarakhand — the Ramganga and the Kosi. Jim Corbett, the famous shikari after whom the park is named, had chronicled many tales of fishing here. However, the delicacy we were treated to totally transformed the local fish into an exotic avatar with the Moroccan-Tunisian marinade and relish that is known as chermoula.

Chermoula has many regional and sub-regional variations and you can easily substitute an ingredient for another to please your palate. You can grill the fillet of fish either on chargrill, a grill-pan or use an oven. You could marinade the whole fish with chermoula after scoring with sharp cuts like Chef Sanjay Chauhan had done here or just top it with salsa-like chermoula. Our friend Suprabhath Roy Chowdhury, who presides over the property, started off as a chef and it is clear that a large part of his heart continues to live in the kitchen. He not only shared the recipe with us, but also told us that the chermoula is irresistible for Indian guests as most of its ingredients are familiar to them like coriander, mint, garlic, onions, green chillies, tomatoes, sweet peppers, black peppercorns and chilli flakes. The chef also assured us that you can use chermoula like a coarse chutney to add a tang to your vegetarian dishes as well.

Grilled fish chermoula

Ingredients

Fish (firm, fillets about 1 inch thick) 500 gm

Oil (rice bran or sunflower) 1/3 cup

Onions (medium-sized, chopped) 2

Tomatoes (medium-sized) 2

Garlic cloves 4-6

Green chillies (deseeded) 2-3

Coriander sprig 1 large

Mint sprig 1 small

Ginger paste 1 tsp

Coriander seeds 1 tsp

Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

Black peppercorns 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder (degi mirch) 1/2 tsp

Sweet bell pepper (medium-sized) ½

Lemon juice 1 tbsp

Preserved lemon or lime (for garnish) 1-2

Salt To taste

Method

Line a non-stick pan with a thin film

of oil and grill the fillets of fish for 4 minutes on one side on a medium-high flame, then flip with a spatula and grill

on the other side for three more minutes. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Prepare the chermoula by scalding the tomatoes and the peppers if using. Remove the skin when cool. Put in a mortar and press with the pestle to mash. Crush garlic cloves with a knife and add to this mixture. Dry roast the spice seeds and black peppercorns till they emit aroma. Coarsely grind. Add to the chermoula mixture.

Wash well the fresh coriander and mint leaves, chop finely and add to the chermoula mixture. Sprinkle lemon juice, salt and 1 tsp of oil mix well. Now, put the chermoula in a blender with 1 tbsp of water and grind to a paste of desired consistency in short bursts. Remove to a bowl. Check seasoning and spread chermoula over the grilled fish, coating it generously all over.

Please note that the marination is necessary only if cooking whole fish.

— The writer is a food critic