Make Jasmine Hemsley's Tikka Fish & Pak Choi Stir-Fry

Discover this fresh and flavoursome recipe from Jasmine Hemsley for a healthy midweek meal.


I don't have a tandoor (a type of clay oven), but I do like tikka - usually, small pieces of meat or fish in a spicy marinade, baked in said oven. This adaptation is a deliciously easy fish dish that I can pop in the oven while I prepare a stir-fry of veggies, making it perfect for entertaining. In India, the tikka marinade is made with yoghurt and spices, but since yoghurt with fish is an Ayurvedic 'no-no', I've swapped it with ghee, which helps to activate the spices as well as baste the fish. Marinate the fish in advance for the best flavour, then bring to room temperature before cooking. The whole dish comes together really easily and looks the business.  - Jasmine Hemsley


  • Total time

    3 hours

  • Prep time

    2.5 hours

  • Amount

    Serves two

  • Ingredients
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 tsp ground turmeric
    • 1½ tsp garam masala
    • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (plus extra to taste)
    • ½ tsp sea salt (plus extra to taste)
    • ½ tsp toasted cumin seeds or ground cumin 2—3 tbsp ghee
    • 1 lime or lemon
    • 1/2—1 tbsp water (optional)
    • 2 fillets (about 300g) firm white fish (such as pollock/cod/haddock/coley/tilapia)
    • 1 pak choi (quartered lengthways)
    • 1 fennel (trimmed and cut into long slices)
    • 1 tbsp black mustard seeds ¼ tsp chilli powder
    • 2 large carrots (grated)

1. Mix the ginger, turmeric, garam masala, black pepper, salt and cumin together. Combine with 1 tablespoon of ghee and the juice of ½ lime to make a paste, adding ½-1 tablespoon of water if necessary.

2. Coat the fish in the paste and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. When you are ready to cook, bring the fish to room temperature

3. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (fan 160ºC/gas mark 4). In a large pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the ghee over a medium heat and sear the pak choi until golden, then season with a little salt and pepper and set aside.

4. Place the fish on a baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked, adding the pak choi for the last 5 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, melt the rest of the ghee in the same pan, if needed, and sauté the fennel. When it is lightly browned, add the mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop (be careful not to let them burn and become bitter). Add the carrot, season and stir-fry for a few minutes, until just tender. Plate everything up and squeeze over the juice of ½ lime.


East by West

by Jasmine Hemsley

Winner of the 2018 Hearst Big Books Award (Women's Health and Wellbeing)

East by West
is the first solo cookbook from bestselling author, cook and TV presenter Jasmine Hemsley, co-founder of Hemsley + Hemsley. Featuring 140 delicious recipes from around the world, East by West champions the ancient Ayurvedic philosophy of eating to nourish, sustain and repair for ultimate mind-body balance.


Jasmine continues her passion for balancing body, mind and spirit amidst the challenges of our fast-paced day-to-day lives, through real food and tasty home cooking. With a focus on listening to your body, eating when you’re hungry, being conscious of what you’re eating when you’re eating it and choosing foods that are right for your mood from day to day, East by West is a modern take on the Ayurvedic principles.

With classic Ayurvedic comfort dishes from Golden Milk to Kitchari and great family sharing dishes Sesame Roast Chicken to Saffron Millionaire Cheesecake, the book has something for every taste (bringing to life store cupboard basics to create dishes) from super simple to simply special. A global range of recipes, together with simple mindful rituals and a classic cleanse to revisit when your energy levels need a boost help the book bring Ayurveda to life in a fresh and friendly way.

Packed with beautiful colour photography and inspired by Jasmine’s personal journey with food and healthy living, East by West represents a delicious evolution of the ideas explored in Hemsley + Hemsley bestsellers Good + Simple and The Art of Eating Well.