The Big Book of Curry Recipes (14 page)

This is a very light and creamy curry that can be made with just about any firm-fleshed fish (but I would avoid oily fish).

Ingredients:

1kg (2lb, 2 oz) fresh, firm, boneless fillets of fish (salmon is good, but many other fish could be substituted)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 tsp turmeric

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 medium onions, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled

3cm (1 in) length of ginger, peeled and chopped

4 tbsp oil

1 tsp black mustard seeds

12 curry leaves (or methi (fenugreek) curry leaves)

2 dried red chillies, halved

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt (or to taste)

2 tbsp whole-grain mustard

200ml (4/5 cup) Greek-style yoghurt

600ml water

6 tbsp coconut cream (or to taste)

1 tsp
Garam Masala

6 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Method:

Cut the fish into 6cm portions then whisk together 1 garlic clove, turmeric and lemon juice and pour over the fish. Mix to combine and set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the onions, ginger and remaining garlic to a food processor and render to a paste (add a little water if necessary). Heat the oil in a wok and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to split and splutter add the curry leaves and chillies. Stir-fry for 10 seconds then add the onion and ginger mix and continue until the mixture splits (when the oil comes out).

Add the chillies, cumin, salt and chilli powder and stir fry for a few seconds before adding 2 tbsp water. Continue frying until the oil separates once more. Now stir-in the yoghurt and the grain mustard and fry for 2 minutes before adding the water. Bring to a boil and then add the fish pieces. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the fish is done through.

Add the coconut cream and allow to simmer for 1 minute more. Take off the heat, add the garam masala. Cover and allow to sit for 1 minute then stir-in the coriander leaves. Serve immediately with plain boiled rice.

Makher Taukari (Fish Curry)

Makher Taukari (Fish Curry) is a traditional Bangladeshi recipe for a classic fish curry cooked in a chilli and onion sauce flavoured with garlic and turmeric.

Ingredients:

450g (1 lb) firm-fleshed fish, gutted and scaled

1/2 tsp hot red chilli powder

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp garlic

60ml (1/4 cup) oil

45g (1 1/2 oz) onions, finely diced

3 green chillies, chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped (optional)

1 tsp salt

chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

Method:

Add the oil to a wok and use to stir-fry the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and chillies and fry until the garlic begins to brown then stir-in all the remaining spices and fry for about 5 minutes longer.

Gently add the fish and fry on each side for about 3 minutes, or until the skin begins to crisp. Add just enough water to barley cover the fish then add the chopped tomatoes (if using). Cover and cook over medium heat until the fish is tender and flakes with a fork. Scatter the coriander leaves over the top, cover and cook for 5 minutes more. Serve immediately, accompanied with rice.

Prawn Curry

Prawn Curry is a traditional Bangladeshi recipe for a classic prawn curry cooked in a chilli, tomato and onion sauce flavoured with garlic, turmeric and garam masala.

Ingredients:

450g (1 lb) whole prawns (with shells)

5 green chillies, chopped

2 onions, chopped

1 small bunch of spring onions (green parts only), chopped

1 small bunch of coriander leaves, chopped

2 tsp
ginger-garlic paste

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 tsp hot chilli powder

1 tsp ground turmeric

8 tbsp oil

2 tsp
Garam Masala

salt, to taste

chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

Method:

Clean and shell the prawns. Reserve the shells and add to a wok along with the oil. Cook for about 4 minutes then remove the prawn shells with a slotted spoon and discard (you will be left with prawn-flavoured oil).

Add the green chillies and onions and stir-fry until the onions turn golden. Now add the spring onion greens, coriander leaves and the ginger and garlic paste. Fry for 2 minutes before adding the tomatoes and prawns. Continue cooking for about 5 or 6 minutes, until the prawns turn pink and are cooked through. Season with the salt, chilli powder and garam masala. Cook for 5 minutes more then turn into a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve accompanied with rice.

Fish Dopeaja

Fish Dopeaja is a traditional Bangladeshi recipe for a classic curry of freshwater fish in an onion and tomato stock with curry spices finished with coriander (cilantro) leaves and spring onion greens.

Ingredients:

150g (1/3 lb) freshwater fish cut into small pieces

75g (2 1/2 oz) onions, sliced

1 tsp hot chilli powder (or to taste)

1 tsp ground turmeric

2 tbsp onion paste

1/8 tsp freshly-ground ginger

1/4 tsp chilli paste

generous handful of coriander (cilantro/dhaniya) leaves, shredded

2 tbsp spring onion greens, shredded

80ml (1/3 cup) oil

1 tsp salt (or to taste)

2 tomatoes, chopped

Method:

Heat the oil in a wok or pan and stir-in the spices and pastes. Continue cooking, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes aromatic (add a little water if it looks too dry) then add the sliced onion. Fry for 2 minutes before adding the fish along with 120ml water.

Season with the salt then cover the pan and cook over medium heat until the water has almost all evaporated. Add the tomatoes and coriander and spring onion greens at this point and reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking, uncovered, until the oil separates and floats to the top. Serve immediately, accompanied with rice.

Bangladeshi Fish Korma

Bangladeshi Fish Korma is a traditional Bangladeshi recipe for a classic curry of fresh-water fish cooked in a yoghurt and onion sauce flavoured with spices and chillies.

Ingredients:

1kg (2 lb, 3 oz) fish, cut into generous steaks (carp or perch would be traditional, but any firm fresh-water fish will do)

120ml (1/2 cup) plain yoghurt

120ml (1/2 cup)
basic onion paste

1 tbsp
ginger-garlic paste

1 tbsp
coriander paste

6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

5cm length of cinnamon stick, broken into 2 pieces

2 tsp salt

180ml ghee

6 green chillies

2 tbsp kewra extract (this is a flavoured extract from the pandanus flower — substitute rose water if not available)

1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

Heat the ghee in a wok then add the fish and cook for 2 minutes per side before adding all the remaining ingredients (except the kewra extract and the chillies). Mix well to combine and cook, covered, over low heat until all the liquid has almost evaporated away (turn the fish half-way through).

At this point add the chillies and kewra extract then cover and cook over low heat for a further 30 minutes, or until the oil separates and floats to the top. Serve on a bed of rice.

Bengali Tilapia Curry

Bengali Tilapia Curry is a traditional Indian recipe (from the Bengal region) for a classic fish (tilapia in this case) curry served in a tomato and chilli sauce with lemon juice.

Ingredients:

450g (1 lb) tilapia fillet, sliced into 8 pieces

1 tsp ground turmeric

sea salt, to taste

oil, for frying

2 onions, chopped

4 tsp
ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp hot chilli powder

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

5 green chillies, chopped

1 tsp lemon juice

coriander leaves, to garnish

Method:

Combine the salt and turmeric and rub into the fish then set aside for 20 minutes to marinate. After this time, heat the oil in a pan and use to stir-fry the fish until nicely browned. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onions to the remaining oil and fry for about 8 minutes or until soft and lightly golden. Stir-in the garlic and ginger paste at this point, along with the ground cumin and coriander (and any remaining turmeric). Stir-fry for about 3 minutes before adding the tomatoes. Continue cooking for 5 minutes more then return the fish to the pan along with the chillies. Add just enough water to barely cover then bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for about 7 minutes over low heat, or until the fish is cooked through.

The dish is ready when the oil begins to separate and float to the top. Take off the heat and stir-in the lemon juice. Serve on a bed of rice and garnish with the coriander leaves.

Bengali Fish Curry

Bengali Fish Curry is a traditional Indian recipe (from the Bengal region) for a classic curry of fish in a chilli and coriander (cilantro) sauce flavoured with the spice blend, panch phoron.

Ingredients:

4 fillets of carp, perch, tilapia or striped bass

2 tbsp mustard seeds

2 red chillies

1/2 tsp
Panch Phoron

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

salt, to taste

2 tbsp oil

chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves, to garnish

Method:

Combine the salt and half the turmeric and rub all over the fish then set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.

Add the oil to a non-stick pan and fry the fish on both sides (skin side first) until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside. Meanwhile, combine the mustard seeds, chillies and 120ml water in a blender and render to a paste (this is easiest if you lightly crush the mustard seeds in a pestle and mortar first).

Add the panch phoron to the remaining oil in the pan and fry for 1 minute before adding the chilli paste. Fry for 4 minutes more then return the fish to the pan along with the remaining turmeric. Adjust the salt to taste and add a little more water, if needed.

Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until the fish is done through. Serve on a bed of rice, garnished with chopped coriander leaves

Malu Abulthiyal  (Fish Curry with Fragrant Masala)

Malu Abulthiyal (Fish Curry with Fragrant Masala) is a traditional Sri Lankan recipe for a classic fish curry flavoured with fruit, pandanus leaves and fragrant masala powder.

Ingredients:

900g (2 lb) firm fish (halibut, salmon or tuna are good)

12 pieces of Goraka (the rind of
Garcinia gummi-gutta
fruit, also known as Malabar tamarind)

1 1/2 tbsp salt

1 1/2 tbsp freshly-ground black pepper

1/2 tsp hot chilli powder (or to taste)

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 sprig curry leaves

2 Rampe (pandanus) leaves (available in Asian stores)

2 pieces cinnamon

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 tsp
Sri Lankan fragrant masala powder

250ml (1 cup) water

Method:

Clean, gut and wash the fish then cut into about 15 to 20 pieces. Combine the salt, black pepper, chilli powder, turmeric and curry powder in a bowl. Rub into the fish pieces until well coated then set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the goraka pieces to a pan, cover with water and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 8 minutes, until the fruit is soft then drain (reserve the liquid) and mash to a coarse paste. Combine the paste with the cooking water and pour over the fish. Mix well then arrange the fish pieces in a shallow pan and pour the liquid over the top. Use 250ml (1 cup) water to rinse the bowl then pour this water over the fish as well.

Add the curry leaves, pandanus leaves, cinnamon and crushed garlic to the pan then over a low heat until the fish is done (about 40 minutes). You should end up with a thick gravy.

If you prefer a dry dish then transfer the pan to a warm oven and continue cooking until completely dry.

Machli aur Tamatar  (Curried Halibut with Tomatoes)

Machli aur Tamatar (Curried Halibut with Tomatoes) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic lightly-curried dish of halibut steaks with onions and tomatoes.

Ingredients:

4 halibut steaks (about 250g [5 oz] each), each cut 3cm (1 in) thick

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

60ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil

50g (2 oz) onions, finely chopped

1/4 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp ground coriander seeds

3 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

4 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

1/4 tsp
garam masala

Method:

Halve the halibut steaks lengthways then wash under cold, running, water before patting dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the fish on both sides with lemon juice then season with 1 tsp salt and the black pepper before setting aside to marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a heavy 30cm (12 in) pan over medium heat until a light haze forms on the surface of the oil. Add the onions and fry, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes, or until soft and golden brown. Stir in the remaining 1/2 tsp salt along with the chilli powder, turmeric and ground coriander. Fry for 30 seconds then add the tomatoes and half he fresh coriander.

Transfer the contents of the pan to a bowl then add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pan, ensuring that it’s spread evenly over the base of the pan. Add the fish to the base of the pan then pour the spiced tomato mixture over the top, ensuring that the top of each piece of fish is covered. Sprinkle the garam masala over the top and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

Use a spatula to transfer the fish to a heated plate, pour the sauce over the top then garnish with the remaining coriander leaves. Serve immediately.