Samak Mekleh (Crisp Sea Bass with Tarator, Crispy Pitta and Potatoes)

Ingredients

• 700 g waxy potatoes
• 6 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 pitta breads
• 5 tbsp tahini
• 2 lemon
• 1 garlic cloves
• 20 g fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 500 g sea bass fillets

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan, gas 7). Cut the waxy potatoes into 2cm cubes, toss with 2 tbsp sunflower oil and ½ tsp salt and roast for 30-35 minutes until crisp.

2. 2

   Cut the pitta breads into triangles, toss with 1 tbsp oil and bake on a separate tray for the last 8 minutes until crisp.

3. 3

   Whisk the tahini with the juice of 1½ lemons, the crushed garlic, a pinch of salt and 4-6 tbsp water until smooth and pourable, then stir in half the chopped parsley.

4. 4

   Mix the plain flour with the cumin and ½ tsp salt. Pat the sea bass fillets dry and dust them in the flour.

5. 5

   Heat the remaining 3 tbsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the fish skin side down for 3 minutes until crisp, then turn and cook for 1-2 minutes more until opaque and it flakes easily.

6. 6

   Serve the fish on the crispy pitta with the potatoes and tarator, scattered with the rest of the parsley and with the remaining lemon in wedges.