Renga Bel Tahini ( Egyptian Smoked Herring-Tahini recipe) Recipe: رنجة بالطحينة
Smoked Herring with Tahini (Egyptian Renga bel Tahini) is a flavorful, semi-homemade Egyptian seafood dish that transforms store-bought smoked herring into a satisfying meal in minutes. It's a staple on "Sham EL Nessim" table and the perfect go-to for busy days—quick, effortless, and absolutely delicious.
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Ingredients
- 1 whole herring, 500 grams approx or 2 cans herring fillet
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 1 tomato, seeded and diced, or 5 cherry tomatoes quartered
- ½ cup diced bell pepper, preferably different colors
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1-2 green or chili pepper, optional
Tahini Dressing
- 1/2 cup tahini paste
- 1/2 cup warm or hot water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
- 1-2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, for a subtle note, try Himalayan salt (see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Debone and skin the fish: With gloved hands, remove the fish skin and bones and break the flesh of the herring into morsels, the size you prefer. Make sure that there are no hidden bones among the morsels. Alternatively, use smoked herring fillet in cans that are already skinned and deboned.
- Make the tahini dressing: In a deep medium mixing bowl, add the tahini, water, lemon, oil, and spices.
- Assemble the dish: Add the chopped tomato, pepper, onions to the tahini dressing. Lay the herring filet on the serving dish, pour the tahini-vegetables mix over it.
- Garnish & Serve: Garnish the surface of the dish with some of the slices of pepper and onions. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil all over the dish, and serve cold or at room temperature. Serve with some hot pita bread or healthy gluten-free seeds crackers.
- Store: This tahini-Smoked Herring dish can stay in the fridge in a well-sealed food container up to three days
Nermine's Notes
- Don't oversolt your tahini as the smoked fish/herring is already on the salty side. Adjust the seasoning after you add your fish to your tahini.