Baked Pearl Mullet — Van-Style Fish with Onion

Rinse the inside cavities of the fish in cold water and wipe away the dark membrane with your finger. Pat dry with paper towels. Make a diagonal score on each side of each fish. Mix the salt, black pepper, and sumac, then rub the mixture inside and outside the fish.

Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F. Thinly slice the onions and massage them by hand with a pinch of salt until they soften and turn translucent. Massaged onions sweeten more quickly in the oven and are less likely to burn beneath the fish.

Spread the onion in a baking dish. Arrange the sliced long green peppers and sliced tomatoes on top, then drizzle with half the olive oil. The vegetables should completely cover the bottom of the dish.

Arrange the fish in a single layer on the vegetable bed, with their bellies facing the same direction. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 18 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes more. The fish is done when the skin is lightly browned and the flesh separates from the bones when checked at a score.

Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Spoon the onion juices from the pan over the fish and serve hot.