Samke Harra (Lebanese Spicy Tahini Fish)

samke harra with harra sauce toasted walnuts and pinenuts cilantro and saffron rice

Samke Harra (Lebanese Spicy Tahini Fish)

Samke Harra is a popular Lebanese fish recipe that's full of fresh flavors and go-to whole fish recipe in most households.

The fish is baked in a slightly spicy lemony tahini sauce and topped with fresh cilantro and toasted nuts. Serve it warm on a bed of saffron or turmeric rice!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Arabic, Lebanese, Middle Eastern

Keyword harra sauce, lebanese fish, spicy fish, tahini fish

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 18

Total Time 33

Servings servings

Calories 186kcal

Equipment

1 baking dish

Ingredients

For The Fish

2 pounds whole fish, gutted and cleaned I'm using trout
¼ cup olive oil
½ yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 lemon ½ of it for zest and juice, ½ sliced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black or white pepper

For The Spicy Tahini Sauce

¾ cup tahini
½ cup lemon juice
5 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon coriander seeds crushed
½ teaspoon cayenne or less if you prefer medium to mild
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup water as needed

For Topping

½ jalapeno sliced, seeds removed if you prefer mild
½ bunch cilantro roughly chopped
½ cup toasted pine nuts and cashews or sliced almonds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
In a baking dish, drizzle half the amount of olive oil to coat the bottom completely. Top with sliced onions scattered all over the bottom of the dish.
To prep the fish, pat it dry using paper towels and place it in the baking dish. Rub the entire fish with the rest of the olive oil.
Squeeze half of the lemon on top of the fish. Then coat it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and lemon zest. Make sure you sprinkle all the seasoning inside the fish as well. Place the sliced half of the lemon inside the fish.
Bake the fish for 10 minutes. While it's baking make the tahini sauce. Mix the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cayenne, salt and water until well combined.
Remove the fish from the oven and cover in most of the sauce and jalapenos. Leave some of the sauce for serving. Bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until the fish is tender and registers at 145F degrees.
Remove from the oven and top with fresh cilantro and toasted nuts.
Serve warm over a bed of turmeric rice or saffron rice.

Video

Notes

SUBSTITUTES

Use a large fillet instead of a whole fish. Watch the time closely, since a large fillet needs less time.

SERVING TIPS

Serve this lemony tahini cumin fish on a bed of rice! It pairs the best with saffron or turmeric rice.

Many great Lebanese appetizers pair well, like hummus or mutabal (an eggplant dip salad).

STORAGE TIPS

Store any fish leftovers with the sauce combined in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the fridge.

Nutrition