ABOUT
Melbourne, Australia is a large and ethnically diverse city. People from all over the world have made the city their home and its food culture is reflective of this. Markets, restaurant chefs and home cooks enjoy the availability of International ingredients and the intermingling of cultures creates both a spirit of unity and an exchange. This dish pays homage to the rich culture and diversity of Melbourne and incorporates Middle Eastern, Greek and Persian flavors.
Serves 4
Note: Both Tandoori spice and pickled green mango are easy to find in International supermarkets or on-line. Sometimes pickled green mango can be found already in puree form but if not, you can puree it in a blender at home.
DIRECTIONS
Peel the cucumbers with a vegetable peeler, leaving a few stripes of peel attached, alternating peel, and no peel in stripes lengthwise. Slice the cucumbers into 1/8 inch round slices. In a medium sized pot, combine the water and vinegar and bring boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the sugar and pickled mango puree, then add the cucumber. Cook for about 15 seconds and then strain the cucumbers, allowing them to cool.
Season the Hamachi with salt and the tandoori spice on both sides. Drizzle with the lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil and marinate at room temperature for about 5 minutes.
Heat 2 non-stick pans over medium-high heat until they are very hot. Roll the Hamachi around in the marinade, making sure it is well coated in oil. Reserve the marinade for later use. Place 2 pieces of Hamachi in each pan presentation side down and add a little vegetable oil to the pan around the fish. Cook for 15 -20 seconds until a nice crust is formed. Flip the fish and cook for about 10-15 seconds on the other side. Remove from the pan and place on a cutting board to rest.
Slice each piece of Hamachi with a very sharp knife into thin slices and fan the slices out onto 4 plates. Arrange the pickles in tring molds in a circular tower at the top of each plate. Remove the ring molds and top the cucumbers with a few strands of mint chiffonade. Spoon the remaining Hamachi marinade over and around the fish and serve immediately
INGREDIENTS
4 Persian cucumbers
1 cup water
1 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup pickled green mango, pureed 4, 5-ounce Hamachi filets
3 tablespoons Tandoori spice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 mint leaves, chiffonade
Fine sea salt