The Big Book of Curry Recipes (16 page)

In the meantime, heat the reserved 1 tsp coconut milk in a pan and add the curry leaves. Fry for a few minutes, until aromatic then take off the heat.

Pour the fish curry into a serving dish and top with the fried curry leaves. Serve immediately, accompanied by rice.

Shellfish Temperade

Shellfish Temperade is a traditional Indian recipe (from Goa) for a classic curry of mixed shellfish in a spiced onion and grated coconut base.

Ingredients:

150g (1/3 lb) assorted shellfish, scrubbed clean, de-bearded and picked over

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp freshly-grated coconut

2 large onions, chopped

3 dried red chillies

3 tbsp tamarind pulp

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

small piece of ginger, pounded to a paste

1 tbsp oil

salt, to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan and when hot add the cumin seeds, chillies and coriander seeds. Fry until they begin to splutter.

In the meantime, pound together the coconut, garlic, onions and ginger in a mortar and pound to a smooth paste.

Stir this paste into the fried seed mixture. Stir fry for 20 seconds then add enough water to make a gravy. Bring to a simmer then stir in the ground turmeric, tamarind pulp and sugar. Season to taste with salt, add the shellfish and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the shellfish are cooked.

Turn into a dish and serve.

Surmai Fish

Surmai Fish is a traditional Indian recipe (from Goa) for a classic dish of king mackerel steaks marinated in spices that are fried to cook.

Ingredients:

250g (9 oz) surmai fish (king mackerel [substitute mackerel]), cleaned, scaled and cut into steaks

1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp hot chilli flakes

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

50ml (1/5 cup) curry leaves

oil for frying (coconut oil is typical)

salt, to taste

Method:

Place the fish in a bowl and season with the black pepper, chilli powder, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Toss to coat in the spices then cover the bowl and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

After this time, heat the oil in a wok or karahi. When the oil is hot, add the curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds, then add the fish pieces (and the spices). Fry for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown on the outside and cooked through. Serve hot.

Anda Jheenga Curry

Anda Jheenga Curry is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of prawns in a thick, spiced onion sauce that’s finished with coconut cream and halved hard-boiled eggs.

Ingredients:

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved lengthways

12 king prawns, cooked

1 tsp sea salt

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

2 green chillies, sliced lengthways into strips

1 tsp curry powder

1 dessert spoon tomato purée

juice of 1 lemon

50ml (1/5 cup) coconut cream

2 tbsp groundnut oil

Method

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions, garlic and chillies and fry for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Now stir in the curry powder and the tomato paste and cook for 6 minutes more, stirring frequently. Pour in about 100ml water and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer then stir in the salt and lemon juice along with the coconut cream.

Bring back to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thick (it needs to be thick enough to coat the eggs). At this point sit in the egg halves, bring back to a simmer and continue cooking gently until the eggs are heated through. Serve hot, accompanied by rice and/or flatbreads.

Lobster Molee

Lobster Molee is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of lobster meat (or king prawns) in a lightly-spiced coconut milk base.

Ingredients:

1 lobster, flesh removed from the shell (or 1kg of king prawns)

60g (2 oz) ghee or butter

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

3 fresh chillies, sliced lengthways into strips

6 thin slices of fresh ginger

300ml (1 1/4 cups) thick coconut milk

1 tsp salt (or to taste)

Method:

Heat the garlic and butter in a pan. When hot, add the onion and fry for about 6 minutes, or until golden brown. Now add the turmeric, ginger, chillies and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened.

Add the pieces of lobster flesh (or the prawns), bring back to a gentle simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes. Serve hot on a bed of rice.

Fish Curry with Spinach

Fish Curry with Spinach is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of fish fillets in a spiced spinach base.

Ingredients:

4 fish fillets (typically turbot, halibut or salmon) [about 125g each]

1kg (2 lb) fresh spinach, thoroughly washed and chopped

60g (2 oz) ghee or butter

1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

3 large onions, sliced

8 large tomatoes, quartered

3/2 tsp ground chilli

1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds

pinch of ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds

pinch of ground cinnamon

Method:

Heat the ghee or butter in a pan. Add the onion and fry for 2 minutes then stir in the tomatoes and garlic. Fry for 5 minutes more then stir in the salt and spices. Simmer very gently for 4 minutes then add the spinach. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes more then add the fish.

Continue cooking for about 15 minutes, or until the fish fillets are cooked through and flake easily with a fork. When you have added the fish, shake the pan gently every now and then to prevent the fish from sticking and burning.

Pickled Fish

Pickled Fish is a classic Indian method of pickling fish or prawns. Typically pickled fish of this kind is served plain boiled rice and dhal curry.

Ingredients:

1kg (2 lb) fish fillets (halibut, turbot or salmon) or prawns

2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp sea salt

juice of 4 lemons

4 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

pinch of asafoetida (hing)

Method:

If using fish fillets, skin them then cut into pieces about 5cm square. If using prawns, peel them.

Combine the chilli powder, turmeric and salt in a bowl then mix in the lemon juice to form a smooth paste. Rub this mixture all over the fish pieces, place in a bowl and set aside in the refrigerator to marinate for 3 hours.

Pour the olive oil into a pan and when hot add the mustard seeds, the fenugreek seeds and the asafoetida. When the seeds begin to pop in the hot oil, add the fish and their marinade and fry for 15 minutes.

Take off the heat and serve. The mixture can also be transferred to a sterilized jar. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Kolbi Patia (Prawn Curry, Parsi Style)

Kolbi Patia (Prawn Curry, Parsi Style) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of prawns in a spiced tomato and onion base cooked in ghee (clarified butter).

The Parsis are the descendants of a group of Zoroastrians of Iran who immigrated to India during the 10th century CE, to avoid persecution by Muslim invaders who were in the process of conquering Iran.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) prawns, peeled

3 large onions, finely sliced

4 large tomatoes, blanched, peeled and chopped

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

8 green chillies, quartered lengthways

100g (3 1/2 oz) ghee or butter

1 tsp sea salt

Method:

Heat the ghee or butter in a pan. When hot, add the onions and fry for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. At this point stir in the tomatoes, garlic and chopped ginger. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes over low heat (if it looks too dry at this point, add 100ml [2/5 cup] water).

Now add the prawns, the ground spices and the sliced chillies. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until the prawn are done through and the sauce is thickened.

Serve hot, accompanied by boiled rice and grilled or baked Bombay duck.

Prawn Rice

Prawn Rice is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of prawns in a spiced coconut milk base cooked with peas and rice.

Ingredients:

400g (1 lb, scant) peeled prawns

2 large onions, chopped

1 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp ground cloves

120g (4 oz) butter

600ml (2 1/2 cups) coconut milk

225g (1/2 lb) basmati rice, washed

120g (4 oz) garden peas, fresh or frozen

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

2 tsp salt (or to taste)

Method:

Place the rice in a bowl, cover with water and set aside to soak for 60 minutes.

Melt the butter in a pan (use a pan with a thick base, such as a cast iron casserole dish), add the onions and fry gently for about 4 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Stir in the peas and the prawns and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Drain the rice and stir into this mixture with the peas and the prawns. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the rice turns golden.

Add the coconut milk then stir in the chilli powder the ground turmeric and the salt. Stir thoroughly to combine then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 10 minutes or until the rice is half done. Add the remaining spices, mix thoroughly then re-cover the pan and cook for a further 10 minutes over very low heat, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is completely cooked and each grain is separate.

Prawn Pilau

Prawn Pilau is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic one-pot dish of prawns, rice and onions cooked in a lightly-spiced coconut cream base.

Ingredients:

200g (7 oz) prawns, peeled

120ml coconut cream

6 onions, peeled and sliced lengthways

120g (4 oz) ghee or butter

225g (1/2 lb) long-grain rice (Basmati or Patna)

6 cloves

salt, to taste

seeds from 4 cardamom pods

4 small cinnamon sticks (3cm each)

2 blades of mace

6 whole black peppercorns

4 hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthways

Method:

Wash the rice thoroughly then place in a colander to drain. Heat the ghee or butter in a pan, add the onions and fry for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the rice and stir into the remaining butter, ensuring that each grain is coated in the oil. Continue frying until the rice is golden brown then stir in the spices, followed by the coconut cream an then the prawns. Add just enough water to barely cover the contents of the pan. Bring just to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover the pan and cook for about 25 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is quite dry.

Turn onto a warmed serving dish, garnish with the fried onion and the hard-boiled egg halve and serve.

If you want a slightly richer dish, you may add sultanas, pistachio nuts and cashew nuts to the rice.

Curried Eel Stew

Curried Eel Stew is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe for a classic stew of eels cooked in a spiced coconut milk base; a blend of English and Bengali cooking styles.

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized eels

15cm (6 in) piece of fresh ginger

1 tsp plain flour

1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

1 small blade of mace

2 tbsp sliced onion

generous handful of meat bones

1 dessert spoon butter

1 dessert spoon Worcestershire sauce

360ml (1 1/2 cups) water

8 cloves

9 green chillies

120ml (1/2 cup) coconut milk

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 dessert spoon fresh mint, shredded

1 dessert spoon coriander leaves, shredded

6 spinach leaves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp brown sugar

juice of 1 lemon

pared zest of 1 lemon

salt, to taste

Method:

Combine the meat bones, lemon zest, mace, spinach, mint, coriander, sugar, salt, half the black pepper and half the butter in a pan with half the onions and 60ml (1/4 cup) water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook very gently for 15 minutes. Now add 240ml (1 cup) more water, bring to a boil and continue boiling, covered, for 15 minutes more.

Skin the eels, remove the head and tails, gut them and cut into 8cm lengths. In a mortar, grind together the half the chillies, half the ginger and the turmeric with a little salt until you have a smooth paste. Rub this all over the eel pieces. Slit the remaining chillies down the middle and grate the remaining ginger.

Add the eel pieces, chillies, ginger, the remaining pepper, cloves and coconut milk in a clean pan. Strain the meat broth and add this to the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook gently for 30 minutes. Take out the fish and pieces and set aside on a warmed dish.

Melt the butter in a small pan, scatter over the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over the gravy from the fish, bring to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes, or until thickened. Stir in the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Bring just to a boil, pour over the fish and serve accompanied by rice.

Challum

Challum is a traditional South Indian recipe for a classic dish of cutlets made from prawns, gated coconut, chillies, garlic and cumin that’s fried in coconut oil to cook.