I fall in love with words quite easily. Mahi-mahi…. is just one of the many beautiful Hawaiian words. When we visited Oahu I found it fascinating to read the street names, which for the most part were quite hard for a foreigner to remember: Kamehameha, Mamalahoa, Kealakehe, Hualalai. They all seemed so…. musical!
It turns out that the Hawaiian alphabet lacks a few consonants: C, J, Q, and X. It also makes no distinction between K and T. When the complexity of a language decreases at one level, it often compensates on another. The fewer consonants probably explains why so many Hawaiian words have duplicated syllables, giving the spoken language a playful component that’s quite pleasing. But, I digress… mahi-mahi (by the way, “mahi” means “strong”) is one of my favorite fish, at the top with striped sea bass. It has a mild, but definitely not bland flavor, and a meaty texture that’s perfect for grilling, as this recipe (another gem I got from my friend Heather) will convince you.
GRILLED MAHI-MAHI WITH CITRUS MARINADE
(from Heather’s kitchen)
2 T fresh lime juice
Comments: This was one of the tastiest dinners in the past few weeks. A fish like mahi-mahi is delicious on its own, so the less you mess with it, the better it is. This preparation was perfect: a hint of lemon, a little heat, and nothing else. No elaborate toppings, crusts, or sauces. A simple, delicious meal, as healthy as it gets.
We loved it with roasted asparagus, and with a mixture of white rice and wheat berries that, all modesty aside, was a spur of the moment inspiration that had me patting myself on the back. I spotted some white rice in the fridge and some cooked wheat berries that I was saving for a salad. I just mixed them and warmed them in the microwave. It was an absolutely delicious combination that will be a regular production in the Bewitching Kitchen.
ONE YEAR AGO: Memories of Pasteis
Bewitching Kitchen 
This looks like a delicious meal and your photo really shows how delicious the fish is!
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thanks, Kalyn…. and, come to think of it, it’s low-carb (well, if you don’t take the rice in account, that is… 😉
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Thanks for this, Sally. It reminds me how much I like this kind of Asian-inspired marinade on fish. I’ve used something similar on cod and halibut and even salmon, quite successfully. This also works well in the oven.
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Indeed, Paula – it would work well in the oven too. For some reason I’m always insecure to cook fish in the oven, for fear of overcooking it. Halibut would be awesome with this marinade, we love it too
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Mmmmmm! Yummy! Can’t wait to make this, although I don’t know exactly where I’d find wheat berries in Norman! I’ve got the asparagus growing in my garden… (Now, aren’t you envious?)
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Well, if they don’t have it in Native Roots market (Main St, opposite to Forward Foods), let me know and I’ll bring a bag for you when we drive back home, ok?
Now, make sure to save some asparagus for us! 🙂
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Looks awesome. When I lived on the West Coast, I used to eat mahi mahi all the time. It’s just not the same where I am now.
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Amazing how location can add a lot to the whole experience… the BEST fried calamari I’ve ever had was at a beach in between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, during a boat trip, we stopped at several beaches and swam to shore – in this tiny tiny place, we were served a sample of different seafood, and I swear, nothing ever came close to that simple meal…
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We had Mahi for the first time over Christmas in Florida and it has replaced my other favorite fish Tilapia as being a great fish for on the BBQ. Thanks for another recipe to try, look forward to trying this week. I have a big bag of frozen Mahi that we got at Costco, great price and have been eating lots.
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Hope you like this preparation, very simple, but delicious indeed…
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Mahi-mahi is a fish I’ve only tried recently – it’s not common around here, but some of the specialty fish restaurants seem to be serving it now. Your prep looks fabulous – love the combination of the fish with rice and wheat berries!
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I am on a wheat berry kick lately… they have a nice chewy texture – next thing, I want to add them to a sourdough bread, but haven’t decided yet what to make…
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I found your blog this afternoon, and you are guilty of me spending more than 2 hours reading it, when I should be doing some work around the house, and that includes preparing dinner for my family! Love your blog, your style of cooking is awesome, a little bit of everything, and as you said in your profile, everything in moderation
I look forward to your future posts!
(love your dogs too, Oscar seems to be trouble over four legs)
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Thanks for such a lovely comment, Sonya…
You are right, Oscar is a ton of trouble, just last week chewed through the wires from our speakers, and we thought they had died. (sigh)
but he is adorable, sweet, a loving dog, and we endure the ‘other side’ of his personality 🙂
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Preparing fish so simply really lets it shine, doesn’t it?
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Exactly! 🙂
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I made this today. I thought the marinade was too strong in the ginger department and somewhat bland over all.
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