Bapalo is a traditional Omani fish soup featuring tender salmon or kingfish in a fragrant turmeric broth finished with fresh lemon juice and served over rice. The key to this dish is adding lemon after cooking to preserve its bright, citrusy flavor without bitterness.
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In oil saute onions 5 minutes.
Add garlic and tomatoes if you want tomatoes; saute 5 more minutes adding 1/2 cup of water.
Add whole chili peppers.
Add remaining water, turmeric, salt, and fish.
Simmer 20 minutes.
When off heat, add juice of 4 lemons. Don't add lemon juice when cooking or it will make it bitter. One recipe said 6 lemons.
Serve over rice.
Store cooled soup in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently over low heat, then add fresh lemon juice before serving. Do not add lemon during reheating.
Lemon juice added during cooking becomes bitter as it heats. Add the juice of 4 lemons only after removing the pot from heat to keep the bright, fresh citrus flavor intact.
Kingfish, tuna, or other firm white fish work well. The original recipe called for kingfish, but salmon is a good substitute with similar texture and richness.
No. One traditional version includes tomatoes for added depth, while another omits them entirely. Choose based on preference; both are authentic variations.
The recipe calls for juice from 4 lemons, though one traditional version uses 6. Start with 4 and adjust to taste.
Prepare the broth and aromatics up to step 4, then cool and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat gently, add fish, simmer 20 minutes, then finish with lemon juice before serving.
