Red Sea Roast Fish (Mugbasa)
We make mugbasa the way it is made on the Red Sea coast in Tihama, where the fish is seared in the pan then cooked in a thick red sauce of tomatoes, hawaij, and chili with a touch of fenugreek and black lime.
We keep the Yemeni hawaij blend and the fresh cilantro sprinkled at the end; it is a spicy coastal dish that brings together the sharpness of the chili and the acidity of the black lime in a sauce that embraces the fish.
Mix the cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, black pepper, and cardamom together, for this is the Yemeni hawaij blend for fish that perfumes the dish.
Heat the oil in a wide pan, add the whole fenugreek for a moment until fragrant, then arrange the fish pieces and sear them on both sides until their surface firms up.
Add the garlic, hot green chili, chili flakes, hawaij blend, and salt, then the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, and stir gently without breaking up the fish.
Add the ground black lime and a little water if needed, and cook over low heat until the texture thickens and the fish settles into the thick red sauce.
Sprinkle the chopped fresh cilantro a few moments before taking it off the heat, and serve it hot with bread or rice.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Red Sea Roast Fish (Mugbasa), and how to fix them:
Sear it well first and stir the sauce gently around it without moving it much.
Extend the cooking over low heat, slightly uncovered, until the water evaporates and the texture thickens.
Start with a small amount of black lime and increase it by tasting, for overdoing it overpowers the flavor.
Keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to two days, and reheat it gently so the fish does not fall apart.
Freeze it in an airtight container for up to a month, and thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| kingfish | sheari | same weight, 900 g | Both are firm-fleshed and suit searing and cooking in the sauce |
| whole fenugreek | ground fenugreek | half the amount, 1.5 g | The ground kind is stronger, so we use less to avoid bitterness |
| ground black lime | lemon juice | to taste for acidity | The flavor differs but the acidity is comparable |
| tomato paste | extra concentrated tomatoes | same weight, 30 g | The texture stays close and the color a little lighter |
| Ingredient | Half the amount | Amount (base) | Double |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut fish | 450 g | 900 g | 1800 g |
| Chopped tomatoes | 150 g | 300 g | 600 g |
| Crushed garlic | 10 g | 20 g | 40 g |
| Hot green pepper | 15 g | 30 g | 60 g |
| Ground loomi | 2 g | 4 g | 8 g |
| Fresh cilantro | 15 g | 30 g | 60 g |
Sear the fish first until its surface firms up before adding the sauce, for this keeps it from falling apart when stirred into the tomatoes.
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