Roasted Whole Barramundi

Roasted Whole Barramundi

The show stopper of your dinner party!

Seafood takes centre stage of our Christmas and holiday celebrations in Australia and rightfully so, given the sweltering temperatures that we experience during this time of the year.

Being the festive season, we all want to entertain with some special dishes on our dinner table. And this Roasted Whole Barramundi is definitely a decadent one to graze your party table.

Now, you might get intimidated if you haven’t cooked a whole Roasted Whole Barramundi before. But believe me, this is an extremely easy and simple recipe. All you need is a flavourful spice marinade and that’s where Curry Flavours come in!

For this recipe, I am using the extremely aromatic and flavourful Curry Flavours Chilli Crab blend.

Yes, you heard it right. Just another example of how versatile Curry Flavours blends are which enable you to create so many different dishes in your kitchen with minimal effort.

Making the Chilli Crab blend at home is a herculean task for most people. To start with, you need a plethora of spices in your pantry and also time and patience to gently coax flavour out of each ingredient to get the final spice and aromatic base that’s the backbone of any dish.

Curry Flavours has now taken that hard work out of your hands so that you can enjoy your favourite curry or dish with minimal or no effort at all. Our blends are created from high quality spices and ingredients, crafted with expertise right here in Australia.

Roasted Whole Barramundi with Chilli Crab Spice Mix 4
Roasted Whole Barramundi with Chilli Crab Spice Mix 3

The Chilli Crab blend is a piquant, flavourful blend so I am using it as the base for the marinade to which other spices, herbs and aromatics like garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, coriander etc… are added to create the final marinade for the barramundi.

It’s best to use a baby barramundi (weighs usually between 400-500gms) for this recipe. Oven roasting is the most ideal method but you could pan fry or cook on a barbecue too. Whichever method you choose, take care not to overcook the fish. You could use barramundi fillets too instead of the whole fish for this recipe.

There are several different ways you could serve this roasted whole barramundi – with a simple, garden salad, nuts and saffron or vegetable pilaf, oven roasted veggies etc… This roasted fish is also a delicious pairing with Indian food if you are planning on throwing an Indian inspired feast for your holiday party.

Ingredients

1. 1 whole baby barramundi (approx 400-500gms)
2. Salt, to season
3. Freshly milled black pepper; to season
4. 3 Lemon slices
5. Fresh coriander leaves; for garnish
6. Lemon wedges; to serve
7. Vegetable oil, for roasting
8. Spice marinade:
a) 2 tbsp Curry Flavours Chilli Crab blend
b) ½ tsp turmeric powder
c) 1 tsp cumin seeds
d) 1 tsp coriander seeds
e) 1 tsp chilli flakes (adjust to heat preferences)
f) 3 medium garlic cloves
g) 1 ½ inch ginger

Directions

1. Remove the scales and clean the insides of the barramundi; keep the tail and head intact (you can get the fishmonger to do this for you). Score in straight horizontal lines (not too deep) on both sides of the fish so that the marinade can penetrate well.
2. Wash the fish and pat dry; season with salt and pepper.
3. Grind all the ingredients given under spice marinade to a fine paste. Add just enough water to make a thick paste.
4. Spread the spice marinade liberally all over the fish. It’s best to use your fingers for this; ensure the marinade is applied inside the slit part of the fish and the head.
Roasted Whole Barramundi with Chilli Crab Spice Mix 2
Roasted Whole Barramundi with Chilli Crab Spice Mix
5. Keep for at least 2 hours or as long as possible before roasting.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan forced)
7. Place the fish in an oven proof tray lined with baking paper. Place the lemon slices over the fish and spray or brush lightly with vegetable oil and roast for 25 minutes or till the fish is done. Check in between and apply more oil if necessary.
8. Remove to a plate and garnish with fresh coriander leaves and lemon wedges.
9. Serve warm with a salad on the side.