Lucky you! Whole fish always tastes better. Don't be afraid of the googly eyes. This recipe has alot of ingredients, but don't be afraid of that either, it's really not hard!

For marinating the fish

* Whole Snapper
* ⅓ tsp salt
* ⅓ tsp cayenne pepper
* ⅓ tsp ground turmeric

For the baking sauce

* 3 tbsp corn or peanut oil
* 1 tsp whole brown mustard seeds
* 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
* ½ tsp whole fenugreek seeds
* ½ tsp whole fennel seeds
* 20 fresh curry leaves
* 200 g onions, peeled and finely chopped
* 6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into fine slivers
* 6 fresh green or red chillies, cut crossways into thin rounds
* 2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
* 180 g tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
* 2 tbsp ground coriander
* 1 tbsp ground cumin
* 4 tsp ground fennel
* ½ tsp ground turmeric
* 1 tsp cayenne pepper
* 4 tsp bright red paprika
* 3 tbsp thick tamarind paste
* 1¾ tsp salt
* 400 ml coconut milk, well shaken
* 12 fresh okra pods, topped and tailed

To marinate the fish

1. Using a sharp knife, cutting crossways and starting near the gills, make 3 or 4 deep, slightly diagonal slits on both sides of the fish. Dust, inside and out, with the salt, cayenne pepper and turmeric and rub into the fish. Slip the fish into a plastic bag and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.

To make the baking sauce

1. Pour the oil into a wide, lidded pan and set over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the mustard and cumin seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the fenugreek and fennel seeds. 2 seconds later, put in the curry leaves, onions, garlic and chillies. Stir and fry for 2 minutes.

2. Add 4tbsp water, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the onions soften. Add the ginger and tomatoes. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the ground coriander, cumin, fennel, turmeric, cayenne pepper and paprika. Stir for 10 seconds. Add 475ml water, the tamarind and salt. Mix well, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk.

3. Preheat the oven to 350F

4. Place the fish in a large baking dish and pour the sauce over the top. Drop the okra into the sauce wherever you can find the space. Cover with foil and bake for about 25 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish now and then.