After a wonderful weekend spent with the kids in the backyard, we made our last foray into the culinary delights of Libya. Mr. N was excited about our next meal since he’s a big fan of fish, and Miss A was mostly concerned about dessert. Our dinner menu featured a white fish, veggie side dish, couscous and of course a sweet treat.
These recipes again incorporated olive oil, garlic, cilantro and other fresh herbs and spices. Tonight we’ll share with you the recipe for Haraimi, or spicy fish. We started by marinating the white fish, we used orange roughy, in a variety of spices including cumin, garlic, chili pepper, mint, salt, olive oil and lemon juice. 
While the fish was marinating dad cooked the onion and garlic in olive oil. 
Once the onion and garlic were browned, he added the tomato sauce and tomato juice to the skillet and cooked for another 10 minutes. It was then time to add the fish and some water. The fish cooks for about 15 minutes in the tomato mixture. 
The haraimi was very flavorful fish made hearty by the tomato sauce. We served the fish with zucchini fritters and couscous (stay tuned for those recipes later this week). 
Our haraimi was good. It was an interesting way to eat fish – one we likely wouldn’t have come up with on our own. Dad and I gave the fish 2 spoons. It was good, but wouldn’t win out over some of the other ways we make white fish. Mr. N seemed to really enjoy it, even asking for seconds. He came in with 3 spoons. And Miss A didn’t like it, but she did eat it in order to get her dessert. So it earned a 1 spoon from her – she at least didn’t find it “terrible” or “nasty” this time.
I think we were all surprised by Libyan cuisine. The stuffed peppers were a big hit with dad and I, as was the bonus meal that recipe provided. (The bonus stuffing was wonderful served on warm garlic flat bread!) And Mr. N seemed to really enjoy the fish. Libya, however, wasn’t such a big hit with Miss A – although she was popping the chick peas from the couscous like candy. Now it’s time to go prepare for the rest of our week. It’s a big one…end of the school year, a birthday celebration and picking our next international cooking destination!
Print this recipe: Haraimi
Eat, Play, Love 
I like all the spices you used to marinate the fish, I just started to use more cumin and mint in my dishes. I even planted two spearmint plants in my garden, mainly for making drinks like mojito’s! 🙂 Very creative cooking around the world, brilliant idea!
LikeLike
Thanks Lisa – it’s been quite an experience so far, but we’re loving it! (Most of the time anyway. LOL) Now a mojito…that sounds good!
LikeLike
Definitely a very interesting recipe for fish… I’m intrigued.
I love your idea of cooking around the world… that is fantastic!
LikeLike
Thanks Kate! That’s exactly what the kids refer to it as – they always ask, “Are we cooking around the world tonight?” Love it! When we pick Macedonia, I’m coming to you for insights! 🙂 As for the fish, it was ok, but I prefer other methods for cooking white fish over this one. But when in Rome…(or Libya!).
LikeLike
What a great idea for a blog. And an awesome way to bring up kids with broad taste palates 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks so much Emma! We’ve been having a wonderful time with this. Not only are the kids expanding their palates, but us grown-ups are too. 😉 Thanks for visiting and commenting. Have a wonderful day!
LikeLike
What a gorgeous plate of food right there! I love all of the ingredients used for this recipe, so I think I’d really enjoy the dish. I’m so surprised Mr. N is a fish fan. My parents struggled to get my brothers and I to eat anything but chicken fingers when we were young!
LikeLike
Oh believe me – they still eat their fair share of chicken fingers. 🙂 LOL. Thanks Caroline! Have a good night.
LikeLike
This recipe sounds wonderful – I love this kind of cuisine.
LikeLike
It’s definitely provided us with a few winning recipes in the past few weeks, and it’s opened us up to some new tastes and ways for seasoning different dishes. 🙂
LikeLike
My mom isn’t a big fish lover but I think I’d enjoy it poached in the tomato sauce. Our local grocery stores only stock sustainable fish these days so orange roughy isn’t available but basa or tilapi would probably work just as well and it’s much less expensive. I’ll have to check out your zucchini fritters recipe as it’s not something that’s in my veggie repertoire. 🙂
LikeLike
You know I think I actually would have enjoyed the tilapia more. I didn’t mind it, but I prefer tilapia, cod or halibut.
LikeLike
The spices you used on this white fish sounds delicious and this dish looks absolutely wonderful. I love the side dishes. This really looks like my type of dinner.
LikeLike
Thanks Kay! The couscous was the biggest hit for dad and I. 🙂 It was yummy!
LikeLike
Your children have expansive tastes because you have been exposing them to a variety of different foods, flavours and textures from a very young age, which is ideal. I love that you are involving your youngsters in every aspect of this culinary experience – expanding their minds and diets as you go. Such an empowering (and healthy!) experience for all of you.
LikeLike
Thanks Kelly. We’re definitely enjoying this as are the kids. They are quite adventurous and it’s been a fun way to experiment with new cuisines. It also opens them up to other cultures and parts of the world. I think that’s one of my favorite parts for them. 🙂
LikeLike
So funny, I was looking at that picture thinking how good it looked to me, but how I bet it wouldn’t appeal to a kid…. That flat bread does sound amazing.
LikeLike
LOL. Mr. N has very grown-up tastes. 😉 I remember he was devouring calamari and mussels by the time he was three. He’s even inspired me to try new things every now and then. 🙂
LikeLike
The fish sounds really yummy but sometimes it’s best left simple. Enjoy the busy week ahead and looking forward to your next pit stop on the map.
🙂 Mandy
LikeLike
Yep – that’s how I feel about fish. I prefer it with lighter seasonings and sauces, but this was an interesting version. Have a good one Mandy!
LikeLike
I always have problems getting on board with fish cooked in tomato sauce… always seems too bizarre – plus I think it’s the sort of thing you need to be *really* in the mood for, and you gotta watch that fish like a hawk because if it dries out then you end up with a nasty piece of scabby fish (you can tell I speak from experience!). I love couscous though – that’s always a massive win! 🙂
LikeLike
You know it’s funny. I like everything in tomato-based sauces, but fish…not so much. You’re right – you have to be in the mood for it and it is rather heavy. LOL – yep…I’ve turned some salmon fillets awfully scabby before as well. Ick! The couscous was awesome! Have a good one Charles. 🙂
LikeLike
This looks really yummy…might give it a try over the weekend…
school is ending this week here too 🙂
Good luck with all the stuff you have to do this week and looking forward to that zucchini recipe..I love zucchini
LikeLike
I love zucchini too. It’s got a sweetness I can get behind. I especially love it in stuffed manicotti. Yum! Good luck with the last week of school on your end as well. It always seems that the school year goes so fast! Can’t believe how big the kids are getting. I’m so ready for summer though! Pool here we come!
LikeLike