lebanesefishsea basspescatarianbakedtahinidinner

Samke Harra

Name: Samke Harra
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 1 fish (about 700 g whole weight) whole sea bass, cleaned and scaled; 5 g fine salt; 2 g black pepper; 2 g ground cumin; 15 ml olive oil; 1, sliced half and juiced half lemon; 80 g tahini; 3 cloves (12 g), finely crushed garlic; 30 ml lemon juice; 60 ml warm water; 3 g red chilli flakes; 2 g fine salt; 25 g pine nuts; 20 g, finely chopped fresh coriander; 10 ml olive oil

Samke Harra is a striking Lebanese baked fish dish layered with nutty tahini sauce, sharp lemon, fragrant garlic, and the warm crunch of toasted pine nuts. The fish stays moist and flaky, while coriander and chilli bring freshness and gentle heat to every bite.

45 min

2 servings

563 kcal

Lebanese

Ingredients

For the fish

1 fish (about 700 g whole weight)whole sea bass, cleaned and scaled
5 gfine salt
2 gblack pepper
2 gground cumin
15 mlolive oil
1, sliced half and juiced halflemon

For the tahini sauce

80 gtahini
3 cloves (12 g), finely crushedgarlic
30 mllemon juice
60 mlwarm water
3 gred chilli flakes
2 gfine salt

For the topping

25 gpine nuts
20 g, finely choppedfresh coriander
10 mlolive oil

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Pat the sea bass very dry inside and out so it roasts rather than steams. Score the thickest part of the fish on both sides with 2 or 3 shallow cuts. Rub all over and inside the cavity with salt, black pepper, cumin, and olive oil. Tuck the lemon slices into the cavity and squeeze the remaining lemon half over the fish.
2
Place the fish on a lined baking tray and roast for 18-22 minutes, depending on thickness, until the flesh at the backbone turns opaque and flakes easily with a knife. The skin should look lightly blistered and the juices should run clear.
3
While the fish roasts, make the tahini sauce. In a bowl, stir together the tahini, crushed garlic, lemon juice, chilli flakes, and salt. Whisk in the warm water a little at a time until the sauce loosens to a pourable but still creamy consistency. If it tightens, add 1-2 teaspoons more warm water.
4
Toast the pine nuts in the olive oil over medium-low heat in a small pan for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden. They can burn quickly, so remove them from the heat as soon as they deepen in colour. Stir in the chopped coriander off the heat.
5
Transfer the roasted fish to a serving dish and let it rest for 3 minutes so the juices settle. Spoon the tahini sauce over and around the fish, leaving some crisp skin exposed if you like. Scatter over the pine nut and coriander topping.
6
Serve immediately, preferably with warm flatbread or rice and a simple salad. At the table, lift the top fillet away from the bone first, then remove the backbone to access the lower fillet cleanly.

Nutrition per serving

563 kcal

Calories

34g

Protein

Carbs

45g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•For the best flavour, ask your fishmonger to scale and gut the fish, but keep the head and tail on for more moisture during roasting.
•Sea bream or red snapper work well if sea bass is unavailable; choose a whole fish of similar size and adjust roasting time slightly.
•If you want a stronger chilli kick, add a finely chopped fresh red chilli to the pine nut topping.
•The tahini sauce should be creamy and spoonable, not stiff; tahini brands vary, so adjust with a little extra warm water if needed.

Background

Samke Harra is a classic fish dish from the Lebanese coastal tradition, especially associated with Beirut and its love of seafood, tahini, nuts, and bright citrus. The name means "spicy fish," though the heat is usually balanced rather than aggressive, with garlic, lemon, and coriander playing equally important roles.

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