Tandoori fish tikka is a delicious and flavorful Indian dish. Popular in Indian restaurants it combines fish marinated in a blend of spices and yogurt, then cooked to perfection in a traditional tandoor oven. Our recipe replicates the flavours and cooking of this dish while using a grill or BBQ making it easy to create at home.
Serve this delicious easy grilled tandoori fish with a fragrant kachumber salad, jasmine rice or our homemade roti, for a feast that will impress your family and friends and leave everyone wanting more.
You can't beat the flavour of a whole fish cooked on the barbecue, we love how it creates melt-in-your-mouth flakey fish with crispy skin. Yum! And we think you will love the flavours of this grilled whole fish tandoori style and just how simple it is to whip up!
Check out our delicious baked salmon, whole fish en papillote or Thai steamed fish recipes, for more whole fish dinner ideas.
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Ingredients and substitutions
For this tandoori fish recipe your will need:
- Whole fish - enough for four people. We used Tarakihi which is a small - medium-sized fish so we used four fish, approx 300 grams each. You could also use a whole flounder, sole, bass or gurnard. Or you could also use this recipe with fish fillets, like salmon, tilapia, cod, halibut or mahi-mahi just adjust your cooking times. Ask your local fish supplier or monger about what fish is sustainable and available in your region.
- Tandoori paste - this Indian paste can be found in most supermarkets.
- Plain yoghurt - choose an unsweetened yoghurt.
Step by step instructions
Prepare the whole fish
- Your fishmonger (or fish supplier) may have done some of these steps for you. To prepare a whole fish for this recipe, trim off all the fins. Then run it under cold water and use a knife to remove the scales. Start from the tail and move down towards the head. Once all the scales are removed rinse the fish then pat it dry with kitchen paper. Then score the fish, with three evenly spaced cuts down to the spine on each side of the fish.
Fish marinade
- Mix the tandoori paste with the yoghurt then rub it all over the fish. (Hold back a few tablespoons of marinade to brush over the fish while grilling). Make sure you get the paste inside each cut and in the belly of the fish. Set aside to marinate for at least two hours.
Cook the fish
- Heat your BBQ or grill on medium - high until hot. Spray or coat the grill plate with cooking oil, then place the fish onto the grill. Grill each side of the fish for about four minutes, until the fish is cooked through and the skin charred. While grilling, brush the extra marinade over the fish. Once the fish is cooked through remove from the grill and allow to rest.
Alternative cooking methods
Don't want to grill outside. No problem this recipe can also be baked in the oven. Prepare and marinate the fish as per the recipe. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C/ 360 degrees F. Place the fish on a large baking tray and into the oven.
Bake for around 15 minutes, cooking time will vary depending on the size of your fish. A good rule of thumb for cooking time is around ten minutes per inch of thickness. Fish is cooked when it is an opaque colour and easily flakes apart with a fork.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends a safe temperature for cooked fish using an instant read food thermometer at the thickest part of the fish is 63 degrees C or 145 degrees F.
Tips from the chef
- Score the fish - Don't skip this step, take time to make nice even cuts in the flesh down to the spine, but be careful not to cut too deep. This adds additional flavour to the flesh and helps the fish cook quicker and more evenly.
- Marinating the fish - When adding the tandoori paste to the fish really massage it into the flesh and don't forget to get inside the belly, this will create great flavour.
- Grill temperature - Choose a medium-high part of the BBQ or grill to cook on, but avoid too high heat or your fish will burn before it is cooked through.
Serving suggestions
Our tandoori fish tikka recipe pairs amazingly with an Indian kachumber salad as it brings a refreshing zing to the plate. See our recipe below for how to make a kachumber salad.
We also highly recommend serving with delicious homemade roti, jasmine rice and garnish with slices of lemon.
A chef's guide to buying fresh fish. How can you tell if fish is fresh?
This is a really common question and its important to know when buying fish, especially if you are buying it from somewhere new.
- Its all in the eyes!
The eyes are the most important part to check first. If the fish is fresh, it will have bulging, shiny, clear eyes. If the eyes are cloudy or sunken, it suggests the fish is getting old. So leave it where it is and buy your fish elsewhere!
- The sniff test is best.
There is a reason our bodies respond with a 'yuck' feeling when we get the smell of rotting flesh, we aren't meant to eat it! The fish should have a mild smell of the sea or river it came from. Any unpleasant, sour or pungent smells and that fish is definitely past its best!
- Gills, Gills, Gills.
They should be bright pink/ red and slightly wet, if they are slimy or dry, leave that fish behind.
- Check the skin.
The flesh should be firm and shiny. If it is discoloured, loose, slimy or cracked it could be a sign the fish is getting old, so look for something fresher!
Be confident when it comes to choosing your fish. Once you know the signs to look for its easy and the rewards of tasty fresh fish are well worth it.
Tandoori fish tikka is a delicious and flavorful dish you can easily prepare at home. With its aromatic spices and tender fish, this recipe is sure to impress family and friends. Serve it as an appetizer or main course; it's a versatile dish that will quickly become a household favourite. So time to give this traditional Indian dish a try!
Did you try this dish? Please leave a rating and review below. And if you have any questions about the recipe, you can ask us in the comment section below too.
Happy cooking!
Recipe
Tandoori fish
Ingredients
Tandoori fish
- 4 Whole Tarakihi Plate size, approx 300g each See notes below.
- 4 tablespoon Tandoori paste
- 300 g Plain unsweetened yoghurt
Kachumber Salad (optional)
- 15 Cherry tomatoes
- ½ Cucumber
- ½ Red Onion
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 whole Dried Kashmiri chilli Sub with mild chilli (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon Black mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- Bunch of fresh mint
- Bunch of Fresh coriander
- ½ Lemon Juice only plus extra slices for garnish
- Salt
Instructions
Prepare the fish
- Use a pair of scissors and trim off all the fins on the fish. Under running cold water using a knife remove the scales, starting from the tail and moving towards the head.
- Score the fish, to do this make 3 evenly spaced cuts on each side of the fish down to the spine on an angle.
Marinade
- Mix the tandoori paste with the yoghurt until well combined and rub all over the fish making sure to get it inside the cuts on the sides and in the belly.
- Set aside to marinate, the longer the better, but we recommend 2 hours minimum.
To cook the fish
- Heat your BBQ on a medium - high until hot.Spray the grill plate of your BBQ with some canola oil spray and place your fish onto your grill.
- Grill each side for about 4 minutes and until charred, keep brushing the fish with extra marinade while the fish is cooking. Use a large spatula to turn the fish over.Once the fish is cooked remove from the grill and allow to rest.Fish is cooked when it is an opaque colour and easily flakes apart with a fork. A safe temperature for cooked fish using an instant-read food thermometer at the thickest part of the fish is 63 degrees C or 145 degrees F.
Kachumber Salad (Optional)
- Heat a small pan with 2 tablespoon of canola oil, add the black mustard seeds, dried chilli, cumin powder and garam masala, toast until fragrant, this takes about 30 seconds. Remove and place into a bowl to cool.
- Cut your cherry tomatoes into half, peel and cut your cucumber into chunks and thinly slice your red onion, add this to the toasted spices.
- Squeeze in the juice from your lemon and add a pinch of salt.
- Tear up your coriander and mint leaves and add to your salad, give it all a good mix to combine.
- Store in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
To Serve
- Place the fish onto your serving plate or platter, garnish with slices of lemon.Serve with kachumber salad, rice and or roti.And enjoy!
Notes
- For alternative oven-baked cooking instructions see notes above.
- The cooking time may vary depending on the size of the fish.
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