Pat fish dry and rub with ground cumin. Place in a large bowl with ½ of the lemon juice. Mix well and marinate for 30 minutes.

Dissolve the saffron threads in ¼ cup boiling water, set aside

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds let them sizzle for a few minutes until they become fragrant, then add the garlic and cook until it starts to color. Add smoked paprika, onions, and bay leaves. Sauté until they start to soften. Sprinkle with salt, cover and lower the heat to medium-low.  Sweat for 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft, and the onions are a pale gold.

Turn up the heat to medium-high. Add the tomatoes and diluted saffron.  Cook until the tomatoes have lost most of their liquid. Add the chickpeas and cook until heated through, about 5-8 minutes.

Lay the fish on top of the vegetables. Cover. Bring to a boil then cook at a simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the remaining lemon juice. Cook 2 minutes more, turn off the heat and leave fish to steam for 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately.