Ingredients

4 whole fish, each about 12 oz.

juice of one lemon

salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 medium sized onions, chopped

2 tablespoons oil

2 cups long grain rice

3 1/2 cups hot water

flour

oil for frying ( preferably olive oil)

lemon wedges and parsley sprigs for garnish

Method

1.Scale and gut the fish and leave the heads on.

( well, you don't have to if you don't want to.)

Rinse and wipe dry.

Rub surfaces and cavities with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Cover and leave aside for 30-45 minutes.

Prepare the garlic and mix with the cumin.

2 Gently fry the onions in oil in a deep pan for 15-20 minutes until very soft and golden.

Wash rice, drain and add to onions.

Stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then add the hot water.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover pan and cook gently for 20 minutes.

3 Make 3-4 deep slits on each side of the fish and fill slits with garlic-cumin mixture.

Coat fish with flour and shallow fry in hot oil until golden brown and cooked.

4 Remove fish and keep it hot.

5 Add about 2 tablespoons of the oil in which the fish was cooked to the cooked rice.

Stir through with a fork, cover pan and leave rice for 5 minutes.

6 Pile rice on a platter, arrange fish on top and garnish with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs.

Cooks Comments and Tips

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