This is a grilled fish recipe, from the book of dishes, composed by Mohammed al-Baghdadi, in 1226AD – 623 AH.
Take some fresh and lean fishes, and scrape their skins very well with a knife.
Cut their bellies open, and clean everything with water very well, then let the fishes dry.
Spray over some coriander powder, some cinnamon powder, some cumin powder and some mastic powder.
Knead with fresh sesame oil, and adjust the salt to taste.
Mix saffron with rose water, and soak the fishes with this mixture and with fresh sesame oil, inside and out.
Take some Sumac, crush it into a smooth mixture, and throw out the seeds.
Take some dry thyme, half the quantity of Sumac, and grind it.
Take some garlic gloves, quarter the quantity of Sumac, and crush them.
Take some walnuts, half the quantity of everything, grind it and add it to the mixture.
Stuff the fishes with this mixture, and close their bellies, by tying them with strong cotton threads.
Place the fishes over iron skewers, over a low non-blazing fire, made from olives or oaks wood, and turn until they are well cooked.