Fish Entertaining Main Mexican

Yucatan-style achiote grilled fish (pescado tikin xic)

Name: Mexican-style grilled fish (pescado tikin xic) recipe
Yield: 4
Cuisine: /mexican
Ingredients: 1 fresh banana leaf (from Asian grocers), cut to fit grilling basket (or see notes); 1kg snapper, cleaned, butterflied, deboned, scales on; 1 onion, sliced into 5mm rounds; 1 banana chilli or small green capsicum, sliced into 5mm rounds; 1 small tomato, thinly sliced; Coriander leaves, to serve; Lime wedges, to serve; Habanero sauce, to serve; Warm corn tortillas, to serve; Red rice (optional), to serve; 100g achiote paste (see notes); 80ml orange juice; 40.00 ml white vinegar; 2 garlic cloves; 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano (see notes, substitute dried oregano); 1 tsp ground cumin; 40.00 ml vegetable oil, plus extra, to grease

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Yucatan-style achiote grilled fish in banana leaves (pescado tikin xic)

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by Daniella Guevara Munoz

CHEF

Nov 28, 2024

"Tikin xic translates to ‘dry fish’. Locally, the marinade would be made with sour oranges, but I use a mix of orange juice and vinegar. It’s fun to make and a dish that. will impress. It will also take a fair bit of planning, as it is quite involved.

"First, you’ll need a large coal barbecue; gas will not give you the same flavour and heat. You’ll need a large grilling basket to press the fish in (or see notes), and finally you’ll need a whole fish that’s been butterflied with the scales on. Choose a fresh fish and ask your fishmonger to butterfly it (the head needs to be split, too). You want the fish with the scales on, as these will protect the meat from burning.

"Most recipes would remove the spine, but I like to leave it in, as it gives flavour, and it’s easier to remove when cooked. Choose a fish that has firm meat - I like to use snapper or nannygai." - Daniella Guevara Munoz

1 fresh banana leaf (from Asian grocers), cut to fit grilling basket (or see notes)
1kg snapper, cleaned, butterflied, deboned, scales on
1 onion, sliced into 5mm rounds
1 banana chilli or small green capsicum, sliced into 5mm rounds
1 small tomato, thinly sliced
Coriander leaves, to serve
Lime wedges, to serve
Habanero sauce, to serve
Warm corn tortillas, to serve
Red rice (optional), to serve

Marinade

100g achiote paste (see notes)
1/3 cup (80ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbs white vinegar
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano (see notes, substitute dried oregano)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbs vegetable oil, plus extra, to grease

Method

1.

To make marinade, place ingredients in a small food processor and whiz to a thick paste. Season to taste and set aside.
2.

Lightly grease grilling basket and cut banana leaf so it fits in basket and can hold fish (or see notes). Place fish, scale-side down, on banana leaf, spread flesh with marinade and scatter vegetables evenly over. Season to taste. Slice leftover banana leaf into 1cm-wide strips about the same length as your basket. Place these in a cross-hatch pattern over vegetables. This will prevent vegetables from falling out when turning and barbecuing.
3.

Close basket, making sure fish is secure. You should be able to flip it without anything falling out (see notes).
4.

Preheat a lightly greased barbecue to high. Barbecue fish, turning occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until lightly charred and cooked through. Rest for 10 minutes, then open basket and remove the cross-hatched banana leaves. Transfer whole banana leaf and fish to a large serving platter and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with lime wedges and habanero alongside, and warm corn tortillas and red rice, if using.