Barbecue masala kahawai with naan bread and cucumber yoghurt

This recipe comes from Shaun Clouston of Wellington restaurant Logan Brown. He has shared it to help support Forest and Bird's 2017 Best Fish Guide which lists sustainable fish species. Download the guide here. For more recipes using sustainable seafood, see our collection here.

The yoghurt in this recipe to accompany the fish needs to be left to drain and thicken overnight.

Fish

800 g	Kahawai, up to 1 kg; bled, scaled and gutted (Main)
200 g	Rice flour
4 Tbsp	Fresh masala, recipe below (Main)
2 Tbsp	Flaky Marlborough sea salt
1 drizzle	Cooking oil
2	Naan bread (Main)
2	Limes

Fresh masala paste

1 tsp	Garam masala
1 tsp	Ground cumin
1 tsp	Ground coriander
1 tsp	Minced garlic
1 tsp	Minced ginger
½ tsp	Ground turmeric
1	Green chilli, a hot one, roughly chopped
2	Lemons, juiced
3 Tbsp	Vegetable oil
4 Tbsp	Chopped fresh coriander
2 Tbsp	Sea salt flakes

Cucumber yoghurt

1 ½ cups	Plain unsweetened yoghurt
½ cup	Telegraph cucumbers, very thinly sliced
4	Mint leaves, roughly torn

Directions

1. Heat barbecue flat top to a medium-high heat. Make 4 deep cuts along the sides of the fish and coat in the rice flour. Rub with the masala paste (instructions below) and sprinkle with salt.
2. Lightly oil the barbecue plate and place the fish on it. Reduce the heat a little and cook until the skin is crisp and is not sticking to the hot plate (around 5-7 minutes). It should be dark but not black. Turn fish carefully using 2 spatulas. Cover with the barbecue lid or a roasting pan upturned and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add a little more oil if required.
3. Lightly brush the naan bread with oil and grill on the barbecue bars for 1-2 minutes aside.
4. Carefully remove the fish to a platter. Serve with some lime halves, the grilled naan bread and a cucumber yoghurt made by straining the yoghurt overnight (discard liquid in bowl and use thick yoghurt) mixed with cucumber, chopped mint leaves, black pepper and chilli.

Fresh masala paste

1. Mix all ingredients together in a small blender or a mortar and pestle. Refrigerate in a glass jar with a lid for up to 3 months. This mix will stain plastics, so clean your blender immediately afterwards.