Serves: 4

The Little Book of Jewish Feasts by Leah Koenig highlights a multiplicity of Yomtov treats. Here are some tasters. Stemming from an Arabic word for hot, chraime is a fragrant stewed fish dish that gets its heat from minced chillis, or, in this version, dried red pepper flakes. North African Jews enjoy chraime for Shabbat dinner, Rosh Hashanah and at Seder. It is typically a prelude to the main course but it easily holds its own at the centre of the table. This chraime keeps the fiery spice to a minimum, but to dial up the heat, add more chilli flakes. Serve with Israeli couscous or rice.

Heat the oil in a large wide pan set over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, six to eight minutes.

Add the garlic, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, one to two minutes.

Ingredients

Name: Recipe: Chraime (Spicy Sephardi Fish fillets)
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 60ml vegetable oil 1 large onion, finely chopped Six garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp sweet paprika ½ tsp red pepper flakes 1 x 415g tin of diced tomatoes 120ml water 3 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp preserved lemon peel, minced 1 tsp sugar 1 bay leaf 1 ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper Four skinless halibut or red snapper fillets (about 170g each) rinsed and patted dry To serve Chopped fresh coriander or flat leaf parsley Lemon wedges

60ml vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

Six garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp sweet paprika

½ tsp red pepper flakes

1 x 415g tin of diced tomatoes

120ml water

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp preserved lemon peel, minced

1 tsp sugar

1 bay leaf

1 ½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Four skinless halibut or red snapper fillets (about 170g each) rinsed and patted dry

To serve

Chopped fresh coriander or flat leaf parsley

Lemon wedges