Pescado zarandeado – butterflied fish grilled with chilli and achiote
A whole fish butterflied, spread with mayonnaise and a paste of guajillo chillies, achiote and lime, and grilled over charcoal in a hinged fish basket until juicy and charred at the edges. A weekend feast in Nayarit and Sinaloa, picked straight from the board into tortillas with cucumber, onion and lime.
- 55 minTime
- 34 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- ≈ $135per portion
- 610kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 4Guajillo chiles
- 2Red snappers, cleaned and butterflied along the back
- to tasteSalt
- 30 gAchiote paste
- 3 clovesGarlic
- 2Limes, juiced
- 2 tbspSoy sauce
- 3 mlMexican oregano
- to tasteBlack pepper
- 4 tbspMayonnaise
- 1 tbspRapeseed oil
On the side
- 1Cucumber, sliced
- 1Red onion, thinly sliced
- 2Limes, in wedges
- 12Corn tortillas
Method
- Remove the stems, seeds and veins from the guajillo chillies and cover them with hot water.
- Leave the chillies to soak for 15 minutes, until soft.
- Meanwhile, light the charcoal. Rinse the fish, pat dry and season inside and out with salt.
- Drain the chillies and blend them with the achiote paste, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, oregano and some pepper to a thick paste.
- Spread the mayonnaise over the flesh of the fish, then the chilli paste in a thick layer.
- Brush a hinged fish basket with the oil, put in the fish and grill them flesh side down over medium-hot coals for 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice the cucumber and onion, cut the limes into wedges and warm the tortillas at the edge of the grill or in a dry frying pan.
- Turn the basket and grill the skin side for 12 more minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily off the bones.
- Lay the fish open on a board and serve with the tortillas, cucumber, onion and lime.
The cost is estimated from average prices in Mexico (PROFECO, Quién es Quién en los Precios (datos abiertos), 2026-07).