Poisson Yémenite de Djibouti (Red Sea Mukbaza-Style Spiced Oven-Roasted Fish) – Authentic Djibouti Recipe
Djibouti City’s most famous seafood specialty: fish coated in a red cumin-garlic spice paste and roasted at high heat.
- Country of Origin
- 🇩🇯 Djibouti (East Africa, Africa)
- Dietary Profile
- pescatarian
- Prep Time
- 20 min
- Cook Time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Signature Staples
- Butterflied red snapper or sea bream fillets, Blistered tomatoes and onions, Warm flatbread and lime, Ground cumin, Coriander
Ingredients for Poisson Yémenite de Djibouti (Red Sea Mukbaza-Style Spiced Oven-Roasted Fish) (4 Servings)
- 1.25 lbs (or 2.5 cups) butterflied red snapper or sea bream fillets, prepped into bite-sized pieces
- 1.5 cups blistered tomatoes and onions, washed and trimmed
- 1 cup warm flatbread and lime
- 1 medium onion and 3 cloves garlic, finely minced with ground cumin
- 1.5 tbsp traditional Djibouti seasoning (coriander, fenugreek touch, garlic, red chili paste, olive oil)
- 2.5 tbsp traditional cooking oil, sea salt, cracked black pepper, and fresh citrus or herbs
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 390°F (200°C) and lightly oil an ovenproof skillet or baking dish.
- In a skillet over medium heat, sauté onion, garlic, ground cumin, and coriander, fenugreek touch, garlic, red chili paste, olive oil for 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Combine butterflied red snapper or sea bream fillets and blistered tomatoes and onions with the sautéed aromatics and layer evenly into the baking dish.
- Top with warm flatbread and lime and bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown on top.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving warm at the table.