We had ex Ottolenghi Test Kitchen legend Noor Murad in the studio recently to cook up a storm from her new cookbook, Lugma. The cookbook heroes the lesser known areas of the Middle East – like Bahrain, where she's from – and this tuna jacket potato is a love letter to her heritage if we ever did see one. Lightly spiced, fragrant with acidity from the yoghurt... you'll never want to eat a normal jacket potato again.
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C fan/240°C/475°F/Gas mark 9. Poke the potatoes a few times all over with a fork, then toss them in a tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon of salt and a generous amount of pepper. Set a wire rack over a baking tray and place your potatoes on the rack. Bake for about 50 minutes in the middle of the oven, until crispy on the outside and cooked through the centre.While the potatoes are baking, make the tuna sauce. Heat the remaining 5 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until softened and lightly coloured. Stir in the garlic, chilli, tomato purée, oregano and spices and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring often, until deeply red and fragrant. Add the tuna, using a wooden spoon to finely break apart the chunks, then pour in 375ml (13fl oz) of water and season with the sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt and about 50 grinds of black pepper.Turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and rich. Keep warm until ready to serve.For the toppings, mix together the yoghurt, lime juice, garlic and a small pinch of salt in a small bowl and set aside. Chop the spring onions widthways into 3 pieces, then slice into very fine julienne strips. Place in a bowl and cover with very cold water. Leave for 10 minutes (or longer if you like) to crisp and curl up. Drain and pat dry, then combine in a bowl with the fresh coriander and preserved lemon.When the potatoes are ready, use a small knife to split them down the middle without completely cutting through and give them a little squeeze to expose the insides. Fluff them up with a fork and then season with salt and pepper. Set on a large platter and top each one with the tuna sauce, drizzle with the yoghurt and pile the spring onion mixture on top. pile the spring onion mixture on top.
