Ghalieh Meygoo is a traditional dish from Chuzestan in southern Persia on the Persian Gulf and a kind of curry with shrimps, tamarind, tomato paste, fresh cilantro, fenugreek leaves, garlic and lots of aromatic spices. Sometimes persian cooks add also curry and chili powder to the dish. 

PREPARATION OF GHALIEH MAHI – FISH CURRY

Fish dishes are mostly popular in the north of Persia at the Caspian Sea or in the south at the Persian Gulf. The recipes are very different from each other as there is distance of  2500 km in between. The rest of Persia likely serves mahi dudi (smoked fish). Sabzi Polo ba Mahi – a Persian herbal rice is eaten with stuffed trout with oranges, especially on Nowrooz. Ghalieh Meygoo also tastes great with my Sabzi Polo – Persian herb rice with butter saffron rice crust. You can also make this dish with white firm fish fillet. The fish should have a firm consistency that you can toss and which will retain its shape when cooked in the sauce and should not fall apart. Fillets of perch or sea bass, red snapper, tilapia, salmon or sole are best suited for this purpose.

TYPICAL FISH SPECIES FROM THE PERSIAN GULF (Khalije Fars)

The Persian Gulf has a very high salt content. The typical fish species here are saltwater fishes as

Hamoor – grouper

Sangsar – Grunzer or also called Schweinsfische, because they actually produce grunting noises

Sorkhoo – Red Snapper

Kafe Dast Mahi – Flounder

Mahi-e Halwa – sole

Mahi-e Shoorideh – Umberfisch

Shir Mahi – Mackerel

FENUGREEK LEAVES 

For this dish you need fresh fenugreek leaves. These are unfortunately hard to find here in Germany. That’s why I usually use dried fenugreek leaves, which I buy from my Persian grocer. The fenugreek leaves should not be missed, because they provide the special aroma in Ghalieh Meygoo.

TAMARIND (Tamreh hendi)

Tamarinds are the fruits of the tamarind tree. They can be from 5 to 20 cm long. Inside the pods are the seeds, which are covered by a brownish to black fruit pulp. This fruit pulp is needed for my Ghalieh Meygoo recipe. Tamarind tastes mildly sweet and sour, pleasantly fruity and slightly tart. The tamarind is also known as “Indian date” or “Sauerdattel”.Indians use it as a spice for chutneys or for jams. In the Middle East, a lemonade-like soft drink is made with. In China, on the other hand, a set of vinegar that tastes milder. Tamarind is a healthy alternative to vinegar or lemon juice and gives the Ghalieh Meygoo the typical, sweet-sour fruity taste. Tamarinds are available as a paste to buy pith or extract.

TAMARINDS PASTE

Tamarind paste or marrow is very concentrated and contains sugar, can be mixed with some water and added directly to the dish.

TAMARIND AS BLOCK

I like to use all the tamarinds with shell and seeds as a block. Incidentally, I also like to snack on them in between, so I cut a corner into the bag and suck out the tamarind. For Ghalieh Meygoo, I break off about 30 grams and soak them in boiling water for 10 minutes, then squeeze them through a fine plastic sieve and use the drained liquid.

TAMARIND HEALTH ADVANTAGES

The tamarind has an antibacterial and mild laxative effect, it also helps with sore throat. It is often used to stimulate the appetite, strengthen the stomach and strengthen digestion. The tamarind has a heating effect on our body. 100 grams of tamarind contains 11% iron, making it especially important for vegetarians and vegans. It also contains important minerals such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and vitamins B1, B2 and C and high levels of vitamin D.

INGREDIENTS GHALIEH MEYGOO

30 g tamarind as block *

200 g fresh cilantro

3 tbsp oil

1 onion

4 cloves of garlic

1/4 teaspoon cumin whole *

1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds *

1/2 tsp gem. Turmeric*

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper *

2 tsp. Dried fenugreek leaves *

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tsp of sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

500 g fresh shelled raw shrimp

PREPARATION GHALIEH MEYGOO

Leave the tamarind in 60 ml of boiling water for 10 minutes,

strain through a plastic sieve, collecting the tamarind liquid.

Pick cilantro from the stems, chop finely and set aside.

Roast spices in a pan without oil and grind in a mortar.

Dice the onions and fry 1 tablespoon of oil, ground spices, garlic,

Add cilantro, fenugreek leaves and

fry for 10 minutes at medium heat.

Stir cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water

until no more lumps are visible.

Add tamarind,  spices, tomato paste, dissolved cornflour, 1/2 liter of water, sugar,

salt, pepper and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Add shrimp and cook for about 3 – 5 minutes in the sauce

until the shrimp are well done.

Serve with Persian rice.

Print

Ghalieh Meygoo is a traditional dish from Chuzestan in southern Persia on the Persian Gulf and a kind of curry with shrimp, tamarind, tomato paste, fresh coriander, garlic and lots of aromatic spices. Sometimes persian cooks add also curry and chili powder to the dish. 

Course Curry, Main Dish, Persian Food, Shrimp

Cuisine Persian Food

Keyword Ghalieh Meygoo, Persian Dish, Persian Food, Shrimp curry

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

• 30 g tamarind as block
• 200 g fresh cilantro
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 tsp cumin whole
• 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric ground
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp fenugreek leaves dried
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp Tomatoe paste
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 500 g fresh shelled raw shrimp

Instructions

1. Leave the tamarind in 60 ml of boiling water for 10 minutes, pass through a plastic sieve, collecting the tamarind liquid.

2. Pick cilantro from the stems, chop finely and set aside.

3. Roast whole spices in a pan without oil and grind finely in a mortar.

4. Dice the onions and fry 1 tablespoon of oil, ground spices, garlic, add cilantro, fenugreek leaves and fry for 10 minutes at medium heat.

5. Stir cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until no more lumps are visible.

6. Add tamarind, spices, tomato paste, dissolved cornstarch, 1/2 liter of water, sugar, salt, pepper and simmer for another 20 minutes.

7. Add shrimp and cook for about 3 – 5 minutes in the sauce until the shrimp are well done.

Recipe Notes

Serve with Persian rice.

Noushe Jan

Susan

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