Tandoori flavored fish broiled in the oven. Lightly charred on the outside, flavored with tandoori spices on soft flaky white fish, this is a great appetizer.
Broiled Tandoori Fish is a recipe that gives you grilled tandoori flavor without the need of any special Tandoor Oven. Easy to make at home, this recipe is perfect for beginners. It incorporates the traditional tandoori flavors that we are used to eating on chicken, only this time on fish. Using any white flaky and tender fish like Tilapia works best. You get the char marks on the outside, with tender flaky fish on the outside all covered in flavorful tandoori spices.
Although this has spices and has the traditional red color, it does not have to be spicy chili hot. It will be flavorful but yet delicious for even those that cannot handle the heat. Don’t let the color fool you to thinking this is a very spicy dish.
Baking fish is a common way to cook using the oven, however most people do not use the broil function in their ovens. The broil function works great in this case to give the fish lovely char marks like you would get with BBQ. The broil function heats the oven to the highest temperature around 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Using the highest level shelf to have the food closest to the top allows it to cook and char at the same time. This recipe is perfect for the broil function.
This is a great beginners recipe, check it out.
Makes: 4 appetizer servings
Time: 30 mins to overnight to marinate, 20 mins to cook
Ingredients:
- 3 skinless, boneless fish filets (I prefer Tilapia)
- 3 tsp rice flour
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 2 tbsp plain whole milk yogurt
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp Tandoori Masala Powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp oil
- Optional: pinch of red food coloring or Kashmiri red Chili powder. Many prepared tandoori masala’s are not red in color rather brown. You can add color if you like to get the traditional red tandoori color. Kashmiri red chili powder gives color but is mild in spice level.
- Optional: 1/4 tsp red chili powder, adjust to how spicy you like it
- Lemon wedges for garnish
- Clean the fish, remove skin and bones. You can leave the filet as is, or cut into smaller pieces.
- In a bowl add all the ingredients and mix well. Add the fish and coat it completely.
- Cover and let it marinate for minimum 30 minutes to overnight.
- Set the Oven on Broil setting and allow it to preheat while you do the next steps. Be sure the rack is on the top shelf.
- In a baking dish, spray or brush the bottom of the dish with oil. Lay the fish pieces in a single layer, do not overlap.
- Spray or brush the top of the pieces of fish with oil as well.
- Carefully put the dish on the top shelf, cook uncovered for 10 mins.
- Gently remove the dish and flip the pieces over, spray the top with oil and put back in the oven for another 10 mins.
- Serve hot immediately with lemon wedges
Tips:
- Depending on the thickness of the fish it may take a few mins more or less. Check it to be sure it is cooked through.
- You can also adjust the cooking time if you want more char marks, be careful not to overcook and dry out the fish.
- If you want to use whole fish you can, remove scales, make slits on both sides and follow the same recipe.
- In my experience Tilapia works best, but other white flaky fish like cod and whiting can be used.
- For other simple ideas, check out more recipes in the Appetizer Section.