The Big Book of Curry Recipes (17 page)

Ingredients:

150g (5 oz) peeled prawns

100g (3 1/2 oz) freshly-grated coconut

4 red chillies, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds

2 tbsp coconut oil (or ghee)

4 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

salt, to taste

Method:

Bring a small pan of water to a boil, add the prawns and boil for a couple of minutes, or until pink and cooked through. Drain the prawns and grind to a paste then mix in the chillies, cumin, garlic and turmeric. Add the grated coconut and salt and mix well to combine.

For the resultant mixture into round cutlets. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan, add the prawn and coconut cutlets and fry until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Serve hot with flatbreads and chutney.

Meen Molee (Fish Molee)

Meen Molee (Fish Molee) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of fried fish served in a spiced coconut milk base flavoured with ginger, vinegar, cinnamon and curry leaves.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) firm fleshy fish, cut into small pieces

2 large onions, sliced into long, thin strips

8 green chillies

120ml (1/2 cup) thick coconut milk

360ml (1 1/2 cups) thin coconut milk (fresh is best, but if using tinned mix half coconut milk with half water)

1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated

1 tsp chilli powder (hot if you like it spicy, Kashmiri if you like it milder and more colourful)

1 tbsp vinegar

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp freshly-grated black pepper

2 cinnamon sticks (about 3cm long)

4 cloves

1/2 tsp plain flour

2 sprigs of curry leaves

salt, to taste

Coconut Oil, as needed (or use another cooking oil)

Method:

Take the fish pieces and season with a pinch of ground turmeric, a little salt and 1/2 tsp chilli powder. Rub these ingredients into the fish then set aside to marinate for 40 minutes.

Heat 250ml (1 cup) oil in a small wok or karahi, add the fish pieces and fry for about 3 minutes, or until half done. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon and set aside on kitchen paper to drain.

Add 1 tbsp oil to a clean pan, add the onions to this and fry gently for about 4 minutes, or until soft. Scatter over the flour, chilli powder, black pepper and turmeric. Crush the curry leaves in your hands and add these as well. Stir-fry this mixture for 1 minute.

Stir in the thin coconut milk, along with the ginger, green chillies, vinegar, cloves and cinnamon. Season to taste with salt then cover the pan. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, or until aromatic. Now return the fish to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil.

Stir in the thick coconut milk then take off the heat. Serve hot, accompanied by rice and stir-fried vegetables.

Prawn Curry

Prawn Curry is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of prawns in a spiced coconut milk base soured with tamarind juice.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) peeled prawns

300ml (1 1/4 cups) coconut milk

2 tbsp ground coriander seeds

2cm (1 in) piece of turmeric root, grated

1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds

2 red chillies, pounded to a paste

3cm piece of fresh ginger, grated

6 garlic cloves, pounded to a paste

60g (2 oz) ghee or butter

1 onion, sliced

1 tbsp tamarind juice

1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

Method:

Melt the ghee or butter in a pan, add the onion and fry for about 4 minutes, or until soft but not coloured. Now add the prawns and fry until gently browned. Sprinkle over the salt and stir in all the spices and the garlic.

Dilute 150ml of the coconut milk with 150ml water and pour over the prawn mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the prawns are tender. Now stir in the tamarind juice and the remaining coconut milk.

Allow to heat through and serve hot with rice.

Prawn Bafat

Prawn Bafat is a traditional Indian recipe (from Bengal) for a classic curry of prawns in a lightly-spiced onion and coconut milk base.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) peeled prawns

1 tsp ground cumin seeds

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

6 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tbsp vinegar

1 dessertspoon ground coriander seeds

300ml (1 1/4 cups) coconut milk

45g (1 1/2 oz) ghee or butter

1 onion, finely sliced

1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

Method:

Melt the ghee in a pan and use to fry the onion for about 8 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add the prawns to the pan and fry for a few minutes, or until they just turn pink. Now mix in all the spices and the salt. Continue stir-frying for about 5 minutes, or until the spices no longer smell raw then stir in the coconut milk.

Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Take off the heat, stir in the vinegar and sere immediately with rice.

Salmon Curry

Salmon Curry is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe for a classic curry of salmon pieces in a spiced coconut milk base flavoured with fenugreek leaves.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) salmon, cut into pieces

pulp from 6 tamarind pods

300ml (1 1/4 cups) coconut milk

1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds

6 black peppercorns

2 tbsp ghee or butter (or 120ml mustard oil)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

6 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste

2 red chillies

1/2 tsp fenugreek leaves (methi leaves)

1 tbsp ground coriander seeds

1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

Method:

Melt the oil or fat in a pan, add the fenugreek and cook for 3 minutes then stir in the salt, garlic and the spices and fry for a few minutes, or until browned. Add the fish pieces and 150ml (3/5 cup) water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes then stir in the tamarind pulp.

Cook for 1 minute more then stir in the coconut milk. Allow to heat through and serve immediately, accompanied by rice.

Nethili Meen Fry (Fried Anchovies)

Nethili Meen Fry (Fried Anchovies) is a traditional Indian recipe (from Kerala) for a classic dish of anchovies marinated in a spice blend that are deep fried to cook.

Ingredients:

250g (9 oz) fresh anchovies

3 tbsp plain flour

oil for deep frying

For the Marinade:

8 shallots, 4 garlic cloves

5cm (2 in) length of ginger

1 tsp hot chilli powder (or to taste)

pinch of ground turmeric

1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

salt, to taste

Method:

Clean and scale the fish and pinch off their heads.

Grind all the marinade ingredients together in a mortar or a food processor, adding a little water, as needed so you get a smooth paste.

Mix this with the fish then set aside for at least 60 minutes to marinate.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or a wok to 180ºC (360ºF). When hot mix the flour into the fish and marinade mixture until smooth.

Add about 1/4 of the fish to the hot oil and fry until nicely browned. Drain on kitchen paper as you cook the next batch. Serve hot.

Traditionally, this is done with the bones in, but you can use anchovy fillets if you prefer.

Kerala Fish Fry

Kerala Fish Fry is a traditional Indian recipe (from Kerala) for a classic dish of fish fillets, coated in a spice paste marinade that are fried in coconut oil to cook.

Ingredients:

4 fillets of firm fish (or four small fish, cleaned and scaled and with the heads removed)

For the Spice Paste:

1 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

leaves from 1 curry sprig

pinch of ground turmeric

1/4 tsp ground fenugreek

salt, to taste

coconut oil for deep frying

Method:

In a mortar or food processor, grind together all the ingredients for the spice paste, adding a little water, as needed. Rub the paste over the fish then sit in a dish and set aside in the refrigerator to marinate for 4 hours.

Heat coconut oil to a depth of 3cm (1 in) in a large pan or wok. When hot add the marinated fish pieces and fry until cooked through and quite dark on the outside. Serve hot with rice or boiled tapioca.

Meen Vevichathu (Kerala-style fish Curry)

Meen Vevichathu (Kerala-style fish Curry) is a traditional Indian recipe (from Kerala) for a classic curry of fish in a spiced gravy flavoured with ginger, chillies, curry leaves and spices.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) firm fish, cleaned and cubed (traditionally this is made with the bones in)

3 tbsp red chilli powder (ground Kashmiri chillies is traditional)

1 tbsp ground coriander seeds

3 pieces of dried kudam puli (
Garcinia cambogia
, also known as Malabar Tamarind — substitute tamarind if you absolutely cannot get this)

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

3 sprigs of curry leaves

5 shallots

5 garlic cloves

3cm (1 in) length of ginger

3 green chillies, split along one side

3 tbsp coconut oil

salt, to taste

Method:

Place the shallots, ginger and garlic in a mortar and pound to crush with a pestle.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the fenugreek seeds. As soon as they begin to splutter add the ginger-garlic and shallot paste. Stir-fry for 10 seconds only then stir in the ground coriander seeds and the chilli powder.

Fry the mixture for a further 10 seconds then add the curry leaves and the green chillies. Mix well to combine then add the ground turmeric and the pieces of kudam puli. Mix in 500ml (2 cups) water and season to taste with salt.

Bring the resultant mixture to a boil and cook for 3 minutes before adding the cubes of fish. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the fish is coked through. Adjust the seasoning to taste and add more kudam puli if not tangy enough.

Serve hot. Traditionally this is accompanied by Kappa Puzhukku.

Fish Kofta with Rice

Fish Kofta with Rice is a traditional Indian recipe (from North India) for a classic dish of fish meatballs that are tehcooked with rice in a cider vinegar base.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) firm white fish fillets

1 large onion, finely sliced

120ml (1/2 cup) mustard oil

3 egg yolks, beaten

1/2 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg

30g (1 oz) coriander leaves, finely chopped

45g (1 1/2 oz) wholemeal flour

180g (6 oz) ghee or butter

125g (4 1/2 oz) rice

1 tbsp lime juice

200ml (4/5 cup) cider vinegar

1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground cloves

Method:

Flake the raw flesh from the fish fillets and mix with the chopped onions. Heat the oil in a pan and when it is almost smoking add the fish and onion mix. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked and the onions are golden brown. Drain away any excess oil and turn the fish and onion mix into a bowl.

Set the mixture aside to cool them mix in the egg yolks, nutmeg and coriander leaves. Use the flour to help you mould the mixture into balls.

Melt the butter in a pan, and when it’s foaming sprinkle over the ground cloves and fry for 10 seconds. Add the rice and stir over medium heat for about 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Pour in the cider vinegar, cook for 1 minute then add the black pepper, fish meatballs and lemon juice.

Slowly pour in water so that the rice is covered by 3cm (1 in). Bring the mixture to a boil, clover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the liquid has evaporated away.

Crab Koftas

Crab Koftas is a traditional Indian recipe (from North India) for a classic dish of crab meatballs served in a lightly-spiced mustard oil and passata base.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) crab, lobster or prawn meat (or a mix)

1 dessertspoon finely-chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp chopped mint

1 tsp chopped tarragon

4 stalks of lemongrass (hard outer layers stripped off)

6 bayleaves

2 large onions, finely sliced

1 dessertspoon coriander seeds, cracked in a mortar

240ml (1 cup) mustard oil, or ghee

4 red chillies, finely chopped

12 black peppercorns, cracked in a mortar

250ml (1 cup) passata (tomato juice)

90g (3 oz) breadcrumbs

1 large egg, well beaten

1 tsp ground cumin seeds

4 garlic cloves, chopped

generous pinch of ground ginger

Method:

Parboil the meat until partly cooked. Chop finely then place in a mortar and pound to a paste. Turn the meat into a bowl and mix with the coriander leaves, mint, tarragon and garlic. Now add the ginger, peppercorns and coriander seeds and mix once more. Moisten the mixture with a little passata then form into balls about 3cm in diameter.

Separate the egg, beat the white until stiff then mix in the yolk. Dip the balls into the egg then roll in the breadcrumbs to coat evenly. Repeat the process until all the balls are coated.

Heat the mustard oil or ghee in a pan, add the chillies, ground cumin and onions and fry until the onions are golden brown in colour. Add the lemongrass and bayleaves and fry for 20 seconds then add the meatballs and gently fry them until golden brown all over and cooked through (about 15 minutes), then add the remaining passata and bring just to a boil.

Immediately before serving, remove the lemongrass and bayleaves and serve immediately, accompanied by boiled rice and lemon, lime or bamboo pickle.

Fish Kebab

Fish Kebab is a speciality of Bengal, where the meat of traditional Muslim kebabs has been substituted by fish.