Small Fish Balls With Tomato Sauce (couirat El Hout)

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 slices bread, crusts removed, presoaked in a little water
• 1 1/2 lbs fillet of firm fish fillets, skinned and minced (such as hake, haddock, or cod)
• 1 large egg, lightly whisked
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded, and chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 1/4 cups water
• salt and pepper, to taste
• flat leaf parsley (to garnish) or cilantro, chopped (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 to make the fish balls, squeeze the bread dry, place in a large mixing bowl, add the other ingredients and seasoning and mix thoroughly.
• 2 with wet hands, form into balls about the size of walnuts.
• 3 to make the sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the onion and cook until softened.
• 4 add the garlic and red bell pepper, cook for 2-3- minutes then stir in the spices followed by the tomatoes and water.
• 5 bring to a boil. skim the froth from the surface, add the fish balls and simmer gently for about 8 minutes, turning once.
• 6 transfer the fish balls to a warm serving dish and keep warm.
• 7 boil the sauce hard until lightly thickened. pour over fish balls and sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro.