Rasta Redfish Marinade

This isn’t a quick squeeze-and-grill marinade. It’s a full-on Caribbean mango chutney built from scratch with tamarind, unripe mangos, malt vinegar, fresh ginger, and hot chilies. The kind of thing that takes a couple hours but yields five cups of intensely flavored sauce that lasts.

Unripe mangos are the backbone. They’re firm, tart, and hold up during the 45-minute simmer without turning to mush. The tamarind soaks in boiling water for an hour, then gets pressed through to extract that sour, fruity paste. Combined with malt vinegar, the acidity is sharp enough to penetrate and tenderize fish.

After simmering, everything gets blended smooth. The raisins melt into the sauce adding body and a background sweetness that balances all that acid and heat. Allspice ties the Caribbean flavors together.

Pro Tips

• Use truly unripe, green mangos. Ripe mangos are too sweet and too soft for this. They’ll dissolve into mush and throw off the tartness.
• Press the soaked tamarind hard through a strainer. Most of the flavor is in the pulp clinging to the seeds and fibers.
• Start with one teaspoon of chopped chili and taste after blending. You can always blend in more heat but you can’t take it out.
• This keeps well in the fridge for weeks. Make a big batch and use it on any firm white fish.

Variations

• Use this as a glaze for grilled chicken or pork, not just fish.
• Add a tablespoon of dark rum to the finished puree for a boozier, more complex flavor.
• Stir in chopped fresh cilantro after blending for a brighter, herbal finish.