Tikka marinade imbues meats and veggies with extreme flavor: Complex, layered heat comes from garam masala and red chiles, garlic adds a delicate depth and ginger a mellow freshness, while yogurt cools, tenderizes and extends flavors from the spices. Although traditionally anything with tikka marinade is cooked on coals for smokiness (see tip), the flavors come together well in a home oven. This recipe calls for any fleshy white fish that can stand this mix of heady spices and maintain its structural integrity for 12 to 15 minutes in the oven. Lay the fish on a bed of spinach, and the marinade will flavor both. The preparation is simple for this recipe, but the flavorful results are anything but.

Sheet-Pan Fish Tikka With Spinach

Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 pounds firm, white-fleshed
fish (such as cod, basa or halibut, cut
into chunks)
• 1/4 cup olive oil or any neutral oil
• 2 tablespoons full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri or other red
chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly
grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly
grated garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• Fine sea salt
• 1 pound baby spinach (about 14
packed cups)
• Rice or roti, for serving

Directions:
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Pat the fish dry and set aside.

Combine the oil, yogurt, garam masala, chile powder, ginger, garlic, coriander, turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and stir until the marinade is smooth. Add the fish and coat evenly.

Arrange the spinach in an even layer on a large sheet pan. Place the fish on the spinach, dispersing it evenly. Bake on the top rack for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the fish starts to turn golden.

Set the oven to broil and broil on high just until the fish turns golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt. Serve with rice or roti, if desired.

TIP: If the smokiness of tikka is nonnegotiable, heat a hot coal on the stove top for 3 to 5 minutes using tongs, loosely wrap it in foil and stick in the oven either on a separate rack or on the sheet pan alongside the fish and spinach. Although hookah charcoal works best for this, you can use a 1-inch cube of any charcoal.

Total time: 20 minutes, serves 4.

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