Hamour (Lapu-Lapu) in Tomato and Plum Sauce

My mom had not been feeling well in the last few months since she returned from vacation that's why I told her that since the girls are already back in Qatar, plus with our 2 nannies (ok, ok... i have got a lot of explaining to do having 2 nannies here in Qatar, so I'll leave it to another post :)), we'll just prepare our own food instead of our keeping the set up of sharing the food costs with the rest of the household. So, since she came back, the Expat Daddy and I are the ones doing the food shopping including going to the fresh market in Abu Hamour. With summer at its peak, I don't think my mom could survive the weekly shopping trips specially to the fresh market.
I remember when I was a child about 10-12yo, my dream was to become a fish vendor, and not just any other fish, I wanted to be a milkfish vendor. Simply because I was so fascinated with the process of fish cleaning. Weird I know, but somehow at that age I just felt some kind of comfort in doing the task. I find it tiring yes, but relaxing. Yes just now I realized what I used to feel before, it was de-stressing! hahaha! And the best part about cleaning milk fish was the removing of the scales. Love it! I so dreamed of having that tool that they use, a piece of wood with handle on one and and some nails on the other --- imagine a hairbrush :). Well, surely all of us has got some weird dream job or something you "want to be when you grow up".

Fast forward to today ----- that was weird! Hahahaha! As I grow older, my fascination to fish cleaning had waned hehe! but not necessarily totally forgotten. From time to time, I still grab my chance to do that, now on a regular basis in the last few months. But one thing much much harder than cleaning a milkfish is cleaning a hamour or lapu-lapu. Firstly, because they have very powerful gills with those sharp teeth-like bones in the inner part, and without gloves, they can really hurt if you pull out the gills at a wrong angle. And second, the scales are too hard to remove, again without proper tools (as in my case), it can be a very tedious process. But guess what, just now while writing this post, I have come across a site detailing tips on how to clean grouper throats, which looks so simple, it was even mentioned can be done in 20 seconds --- if you've got enough strength! hahaha!
But then, I still think it's not so big a sacrifice to enjoy such a succulent and delicious fish. It's just a once a week task anyway :).
Ingredients:
1 whole Hamour (about 800gms)
2 tbs olive oil
1 carrot, diced
1 medium potato, diced
1 small bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup diced white onion
1/4 cup green peas
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4pcs fresh basil
bunch of parsley
black pepper, ground
salt
Sauce:
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup sticky plum sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbs sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Clean fish and make about 2 incisions on both sides. Drain of excess water and set aside.
Preheat oven at 280degrees at least 20 minutes before cooking.
Finely chop basil and parsley and put in a small bowl together with the salt and pepper. Mix well and rub on both sides of the fish including the inside cavity. Put the crushed garlic inside the fish cavity.
Place in a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Set in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes. Check if the fish is thoroughly cooked by pricking with fork on the thickest part of the flesh.
While the fish is baking mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Heat a pan and drizzle a very small amount of olive oil, just to line the pan. Stir-fry the vegetables and pour in the sauce mixture. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
When the fish is cooked, remove from the oven and pour over the sauce and veggies over the fish.
Serve with hot rice. Enjoy!

P.S. This dish was inspired by the meal served to my mom when she was admitted to the Al Khor Hospital over the holidays, the girls loved it too and so I tried to recreate it. This was dietician approved for people with hypertension and diabetes ---- who said people on a strict diet cannot enjoy a delicious meal too? :)