Fish curry with fried parathas
For this fish curry use firm-fleshed fish like gurnard, monkfish or mackerel. Delicious cut into chunks or kept on the bone, if you like to eat fish this way. Perfect served with fried parathas - they are usually cooked in a pan but frying them is something truly wonderful.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
a 5cm knob of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
vegetable oil for frying
20 curry leaves – fresh are best
a pinch of fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
½ teaspoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon chilli powder
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
200ml canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 lemongrass stick, bruised with a rolling pin
500g skinless fish fillet, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 fresh red chillies, sliced
a good handful of coriander leaves, chopped
frozen parathas to serve
salt
Method
Put the garlic, onion and ginger in a small food processor and blitz to make a paste.
In a pan large enough to take the fish heat a few teaspoons of oil. When it is hot add the curry leaves and fenugreek and mustard seeds. Fry until they crackle, then add the onion paste and fry together for a few minutes, stirring. Add the sugar and the rest of the spices, then cook, stirring, until the raw smell of spices is gone. Add 250ml water followed by the coconut milk and then the tamarind and lemongrass. Stir well. Simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Season to taste. Add the fish and simmer gently for a further 4 minutes or until it is cooked. Stir in the tomatoes and sliced chillies, then sprinkle with coriander and it’s ready to serve.
To cook the parathas, heat a deep pan of oil to 170°C. Cut the frozen parathas into quarters and drop 2 pieces at a time into the hot oil. Fry until crispy – they will puff up and have golden brown layers. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the curry.
For this fish curry use firm-fleshed fish like gurnard, monkfish or mackerel. Delicious cut into chunks or kept on the bone, if you like to eat fish this way. Perfect served with fried parathas - they are usually cooked in a pan but frying them is something truly wonderful.
Serves 4
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
a 5cm knob of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
vegetable oil for frying
20 curry leaves – fresh are best
a pinch of fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
½ teaspoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon chilli powder
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
200ml canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 lemongrass stick, bruised with a rolling pin
500g skinless fish fillet, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 fresh red chillies, sliced
a good handful of coriander leaves, chopped
frozen parathas to serve
salt
Put the garlic, onion and ginger in a small food processor and blitz to make a paste.
In a pan large enough to take the fish heat a few teaspoons of oil. When it is hot add the curry leaves and fenugreek and mustard seeds. Fry until they crackle, then add the onion paste and fry together for a few minutes, stirring. Add the sugar and the rest of the spices, then cook, stirring, until the raw smell of spices is gone. Add 250ml water followed by the coconut milk and then the tamarind and lemongrass. Stir well. Simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Season to taste. Add the fish and simmer gently for a further 4 minutes or until it is cooked. Stir in the tomatoes and sliced chillies, then sprinkle with coriander and it’s ready to serve.
To cook the parathas, heat a deep pan of oil to 170°C. Cut the frozen parathas into quarters and drop 2 pieces at a time into the hot oil. Fry until crispy – they will puff up and have golden brown layers. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the curry.
