One of the characteristics of tandoori fish in the Punjab, where tandoori—or clay-oven-baked—meat and fish dishes originated, is that they are flavored with ajowan seeds. These tiny seeds look rather like small celery seeds, except that their main aroma comes from thymol, which you find in thyme as well. Instead of using ajowan (ajwain in India), I have simplified matters by using the more easily available thyme instead. Serving suggestions: For a very light meal, you can serve this fish with a salad. You could also make a more substantial meal by offering some rice and either Spinach with Garlic and Cumin or Swiss Chard with Ginger and Garlic.

　　

Ingredients

serves 2¿3

　　1 pound striped bass fillet—a 1 1/2-inch-thick center cut is ideal

　　Salt

　　1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　2 tablespoons oil

　　2 tablespoons melted ghee or melted butter

　　1 tablespoon lemon juice

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

　　8–10 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

　　

Step 1

Dust the top of the fillet with 1/4 teaspoon salt, the cayenne, the turmeric, and lots of black pepper. Pat the spices in. Cover and refrigerate from 1 to 6 hours.

　　

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 500°F.

　　

Step 3

Lay the fish out on a baking tray, skin side down. Combine the oil, melted ghee or butter, lemon juice, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and mix well. Spread this evenly over the top of the fish. Scatter the thyme sprigs over the top as well and place in the top third of the oven. Bake, brushing frequently with the juices, until the fish turns opaque all over, 25 minutes or less, depending upon the thickness of the fillet.

　　Excerpted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey. Copyright © 2010 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.Buy the full book from Amazon.