gasture

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.

Pescado zarandeado – butterflied fish grilled with chilli and achiote

Contains: Fish, Soy, Gluten, Egg, Mustard

Ingredients for 4 portions

On the side

Method

  1. Remove the stems, seeds and veins from the guajillo chillies and cover them with hot water.
  2. Leave the chillies to soak for 15 minutes, until soft.
  3. Meanwhile, light the charcoal. Rinse the fish, pat dry and season inside and out with salt.
  4. Drain the chillies and blend them with the achiote paste, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, oregano and some pepper to a thick paste.
  5. Spread the mayonnaise over the flesh of the fish, then the chilli paste in a thick layer.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Turn the basket and grill the skin side for 12 more minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily off the bones.
  9. 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).

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