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    Home / Dinner / Fish Saloona

    Fish Saloona

    A Gulf-coast fish stew in a turmeric-golden tomato broth, bright with lime and cilantro — the way grandmas cook the day’s catch.

    ⏱ 20 minPrep time
    🔥 35 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
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    Fish Saloona

    Saloona is the everyday stew of the Gulf coast, the dish that appears on dinner tables whenever fish is fresh from the market. It is a loose, soupy affair built on tomatoes, turmeric, and dried lime, with big pieces of firm white fish simmered gently at the end so they stay moist and flaky. Every coastal family has its own version, but the golden broth and the bright finish of lime and cilantro are universal.

    Golden broth, fresh catch

    The broth is tart and savory, warmed by cumin and coriander with a gentle heat from green chili, and it begs to be soaked up with rice or flatbread. The fish, added at the very last, steams in the liquid and comes out tender and sweet against the tangy sauce. It is a simple, honest dinner that tastes like the sea and like home at the same time. Serve it family style, with everyone spooning the broth over their rice.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Season the fish with a pinch of salt and set aside.
    2. Heat the oil in a wide pot and cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic, chili, turmeric, cumin, and coriander and cook 1 minute.
    3. Stir in the grated tomatoes and tomato paste and cook 5 minutes until the mixture thickens.
    4. Add the black lime, stock, and salt, and bring to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.
    5. Gently lower the fish pieces into the broth and spoon some sauce over them. Cover and simmer 8 minutes, until the fish is just opaque and flaky.
    6. Taste and adjust the salt, then scatter with cilantro.
    7. Serve hot over steamed rice, with lemon wedges on the side.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Add the fish at the very end so it steams instead of boiling apart. Firm, meaty fish holds up best — flaky cod works, but grouper or sea bass feel closest to home.

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    Recipe details

    Prep20 min
    Cook35 min
    Servings4
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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