Roasted Fish and Broccolini With Tamarind and Black Pepper

By Yewande Komolafe

Updated March 12, 2024

Roasted Fish and Broccolini With Tamarind and Black Pepper
Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Roscoe Betsill. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Total Time
35 minutes, plus marinating
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(550)
Comments
Read comments

A single skillet is all you need for this delicious, convenient and comforting weeknight meal. With its caramel-like tang and pleasant pucker, tamarind enlivens the marinade for fish fillets in this simple baked fish recipe. Rich with coconut milk and infused with garlic, ginger and freshly ground black pepper, the quick marinade glazes the fish and bathes the vegetables. Broccolini is used here, but cauliflower, brussels sprouts or hearty leafy greens such as chard, turnip or beet greens can be substituted. This sauce is versatile and pairs well with most fish, so go with the fillets that look freshest at the market. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 4fish fillets (6 ounces each), such as snapper, haddock, cod, striped bass, fluke, sablefish or salmon, skin on or off
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
  • ¼cup store-bought tamarind purée or 1 tablespoon tamarind paste (See Tip)
  • 1tablespoon molasses
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and finely grated
  • 2garlic cloves, finely grated
  • ½cup unsweetened coconut cream or coconut milk
  • 3tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1bunch scallions, trimmed
  • 1pound broccolini (2 to 3 bunches), cut into 3-inch pieces
  • ¼cup chopped cilantro 
  • Steamed grains, such as rice or fonio, for serving
  • 1lime, sliced into wedges, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

429 calories; 23 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams dietary fiber; 14 grams sugars; 24 grams protein; 1256 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Season both sides of the fish lightly with salt and black pepper. In a large bowl, combine the tamarind purée, molasses, ginger, garlic, coconut cream, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Thinly slice 2 scallions and add to the marinade. Cut the remaining scallions into 1-inch pieces and set aside. Add the fish to the marinade and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 12 hours.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large (12-inch) oven-safe skillet, combine the broccolini and chopped scallions. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Spread in an even layer, then place the fish right on top of the vegetables and pour any leftover marinade over the fish.

  3. Step 3

    Roast until the fish is opaque but the center is not cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish. The fish should not flake easily with a fork. Remove the pan from the oven and heat the broiler to high. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over the fish.

  4. Step 4

    Move the pan to the broiler and finish cooking, rotating the pan once, until the fish is tender and flakes easily and the broccolini is just tender and beginning to brown in spots, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the broiler and sprinkle the fish with chopped cilantro.

  5. Step 5

    Serve the fish and broccolini over steamed grains, such as rice or fonio. Tip the pan juices over the fish and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

Tip
  • Tamarind can be purchased as a purée or paste and varies in degrees of concentration. Taste store-bought tamarind before use to determine how acidic it is and how much to use in the marinade. Tamarind pods or pulp can also be purchased to make the purée at home. Follow this recipe to make your own. All options are available online or at African, Caribbean or Asian grocery stores.

Ratings

4 out of 5
550 user ratings
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Comments

patty

anyone have a recommended brand of tamarind paste to use here?

Sam

The "Tip" says "follow this recipe" to make one's own tamarind paste, but no recipe is linked to.

matt

This was delicious. I used snapper and roasted the broccolini for 10 min before adding the fish. It came out perfect. I also added chopped peanuts as a garnish. Did not need the cilantro. I did wonder about the quantity of tamarind. I had concentrate, so I used 1 Tbsp. Could have used a bit more. This is a keeper.

Heidi

Don’t overdo the tamarind. It can overwhelm the fish flavor. I would not add the marinade to the broccolini combination. It overwhelmed all of the flavors. If you are using a thicker piece of fish, you do not need to pre-bake the broccolini. We used grouper, and the broccolini was too soft because I pre-baked it.

Heidi

I used Tamicon tamarind concentrate, easily available from Amazon.

Sue

Enjoyed it last night -- tho had to substitute curry past for Tamarind. Seasoning was nice -- quite mild. Fish was delicious. When I make it again with Tamarind, will double the spices, as several have suggested, and precook the broccolini, as stems were tough.

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