Mahyawa Samak — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Fresh fish fillets grilled and drizzled with mahyawa, Bahrain's pungent fermented fish sauce, creating a deeply umami experience. This dish represents one of the oldest flavor traditions in Gulf cuisine.

Ingredients

4 fresh fish fillets (hammour or snapper)
3 tbsp mahyawa (fermented fish sauce)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp olive oil
1 green chili, sliced
Fresh cilantro for garnish
Lemon wedges for serving
Salt to taste

Instructions

1 Mix mahyawa with lemon juice, garlic, turmeric, olive oil, and sliced green chili in a small bowl.
2 Score the fish fillets with diagonal cuts and rub half the mahyawa mixture into the flesh. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
3 Grill or broil the fish for 6-7 minutes per side, basting with remaining sauce halfway through cooking.
4 The fish is done when the flesh flakes easily and the edges are lightly charred from the grill.
5 Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with any remaining mahyawa sauce.
6 Garnish with fresh cilantro and lemon wedges. Serve with steamed rice.

Did You Know?

Mahyawa takes months to ferment and each Bahraini fishing family once had their own secret recipe passed down through generations of pearl divers.