On Rosh Hashanah it is customary to eat fish - and especially the head of fish because it represents the head of the year, a new beginning, a new chance to do better. I don't fancy a fish head sitting on my Rosh Hashanah Seder plate so I've decided to make חריימה (chraime) - a very spicy Moroccan Jewish Shabbat dish.
This is not regular fare for us but on RH we are supposed to "taste" from the variety of foods, from all the species, and to eat special dishes. Tonight this will be the spicy element in our mostly savory and sweet meal.
BT's Spicy, But Not Fire-Alarm Chraime
Ingredients:
1 whole fish firm fleshed fish
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cubanelle pepper
1 red chili
1 jalapeño or 1 dry ancho chili
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon smoky paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 small tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup water
Directions:
Roast cubanelle pepper over open flame until skin is blackened
Place roasted pepper in plastic bag and let cool for 2 minutes
Using your palms, rub pepper to remove loose outer skin and char and stem
Reserve
Repeat process with red chili
Cut tomatoes in half and place in baking dish
Roast at 400 F. (200 C.) for 10-12 minutes
Blend roasted pepper, roasted chili, tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, salt and tablespoon olive oil
Reserve
Add paprika, cloves and cumin to fry pan and toast over high flame for 30-40 seconds
Reduce flame to medium low and add tablespoon olive oil
Mix oil into spices
Add pepper/tomato blend to pan
Add tomato paste, lemon juice and water
Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes
Reserve
Taste for salt, pepper and heat
If more spice is required - serve with sliced fresh chilis on top
Two ways to do fish:
Roast or grill whole fish and serve on top of heated chraime - less spicy
Place whole fish in chraime and bake at 400 F. (200 C.) for 45 minutes - spicy
Enjoy! !בתיאבון
It was perfectly smokey