Goan Fish Curry
Admittedly not a very Italian dish, this curry is so packed with flavour and goodness that it is impossible to resist. We make it with fillets of beautiful, tasty Mediterranean white fish like spigola and orata. Serve with dal or rice and a salad - you’ll be so happy!
Serves 4
Ingredients for the Masala
1 tbsp coriander seeds
4 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
8 dried red Kashmiri (or other) chillies
1-1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp palm sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Ingredients for the Sauce
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, finely diced
3cm ginger, finely diced
1-1/2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 medium tomatoes, very finely diced or grated
1/2 can coconut milk
100ml fish stock
2 fresh green chilies, julienned
2 large white fish, orata/bream or spigola/branzino/sea bass, filleted
coriander, chopped to garnish
Instructions
For the fish stock, after filleting the fish, put the bones and head in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a gentle simmer.
For the masala, gently toast the spices in a dry saucepan over medium low heat until aromatic. Grind to a powder in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 10 minutes.
Sir in the garlic and ginger. Saute for a couple of minutes.
Add the masala spice mix. Cook, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes.
Add the lemon jiuce and tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the coconut milk, fish stock and chillies. Bring back to a simmer and cook for at least 10 minutes (more is better) until the sauce has thickened. Add more fish stock as required.
Taste for seasoning and adjust as required.
A few minutes before serving, add the fish fillets. Dunk the flesh side of the fillet into the sauce then lay the fillet, skin side down, into the sauce. After putting in the 4 fillets, shake the pan gently to sink the fillets into the sauce.
Cook, covered, for 8 minutes or until the fish is done.
Serve at once on a platter with a bed of sauce, the fish on top and generously garnished with coriander.