Malabar Fish Curry

Recipe by: Depinder Chhibber

INGREDIENTS

• 5cm piece ginger
• 5-6 cloves garlic
• 2 large green chillies
• 1 bunch fresh coriander
• 2 limes
• 500 gm Fish fillets (cut into smaller pieces)
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 5-6 cloves
• 4 dried red chillies
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• ½ tsp asafoetida
• 1 ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• 5-6 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 medium sized onion, sliced
• ½ cup tomato puree
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp tamarind puree
• 1 can Coconut Milk
• 600ml water
• salt and sugar, to taste

Cumin Rice

• 4-5 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 ½ cups basmati rice

METHOD

1. For the Fish Curry, place garlic, ginger and green chillies into a food processor and pulse to a paste. Place half into a deep bowl.
2. Marinate the fish fillets with lime, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt.
3. Toast 2 sprigs curry leaves, cumin, fennel, cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves and 2 dried red chillies over low heat until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder and blend to a fine powder. Set aside.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons coconut oil in a deep frypan over medium heat. Add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida and 1 tsp black mustard seeds and once the mustard seeds start to pop, add 2-3 sprigs of curry leaves and cook until fragrant.
5. Add the onion and the remaining ginger, garlic and chilli paste. Cook, stirring, until soft and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the tomato and 1-2 tablespoons spice blend, turmeric and coriander powder into the onion mixture and cook until the oil separates.
7. Add tamarind and sugar and salt to taste so the sauce is not too salty, and not too sour. Add water then simmer until the liquid has reduced to a thick gravy. Add the fish and toss to coat in the mixture and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
8. Add in a dash of coconut milk and cook for 2 mins.
9. Just before serving, prepare the temper by heating up 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a small pan. Add ½ teaspoons mustard seeds, pinch asafoetida and as they start to pop, add remaining curry leaves and 2 dried chillies and immediately remove from the heat.
10. For the Cumin Rice, bring 4-5 cups of water into a medium saucepan. Add the bay leaf, cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon ghee and bring to the boil.
11. In the meantime, rinse the rice under cold running water until water runs clear.
12. Once the water starts to boil, add the rinsed rice and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions, until tender.
13. Strain the rice and rinse using cold water. Toss the rice with 2 tablespoons ghee making sure the rice doesn’t break. Cover and set aside.
14. To serve, transfer the rice into a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve the Fish curry with coriander and lime.