Fish Curry

sharda's Note:

This is the favorite fish curry dish from the eastern part of India. I learned this recipe from my mother-in-law, who is a master in cooking this recipe. I have to practice it 3-4 times to achieve perfection. Try this curry with plain steamed rice--you'll love it.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 lbs fish fillets (best with tilapia)
• 2 tablespoons garlic paste
• 2 inches gingerroot
• 5 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 4 bay leaves
• ½ tablespoon coriander powder
• 5 medium shallots or 2 medium onions
• 7 red chilies
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 3 teaspoons turmeric powder
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 2 big tomatoes
• oil , to deep fry fish
• 3 cups water

Directions:

1. In a grinder grind the onions, ginger, 2 bay leaves, red chili, mustard seeds, cumin seed all together.
2. Preserve some cut pieces 1 cup) of onion.
3. Cut small pieces of tomatoes.
4. Make small pieces of fish fillets, about 3 inches in length.
5. Clean them properly if you are using the whole fish and make it into small pieces.
6. Take a big plate, put the fish in it and sprinkle 2 teaspoon of salt, two teaspoon of turmeric powder and the garlic paste.
7. Mix all of them properly.
8. Allow to marinate for 1/2 hour.
9. Take a pan or a wok (preferable), heat it and put oil to deep fry the fish.
10. Once the oil is much hotter, fry the fish, 3-4 pieces at a time, 3-4 minutes on each side.
11. Keep all of them in a separate plate.
12. When all the pieces are fried, clean all the black residues from the oil in the wok with the spatula and put 2 tablespoon of fresh oil in the it.
13. Then put a pinch of cumin seed, a pinch of mustard seed, 2 red chili, 2 bay leaves, a pinch of aniseed (all together is called panch-phoran) and allow them to splutter.
14. Then put the cut onion pieces and allow it to just a little brown.
15. Then put all the ground paste,tomatoes,left over turmeric powder and salt to taste.
16. Keep stirring it until the paste becomes a little brown (it takes around 10 minutes).
17. You can also identify it by looking at the wok, that the paste will start leaving the oil and paste will now no more stick on the wok.
18. The paste is now perfectly fried.
19. Now pour 3 cups of water to it, or as much thick gravy you want.
20. Once the gravy comes to boil, start dropping the fried fish pieces and allow to boil for 15 minutes.
21. Switch off the gas.
22. Use coriander leaf for garnishing.
23. This dish should be served with fresh steamed rice and squeeze some lime some juice on top.

Reviews

[Happy Little Vegemite]

The ingredients in this recipe were fine... its just the quanities that I had problems with. If I were to make it again I would have to halve the mustard seeds, tumeric and salt. As it was so potent from this that I couldnt eat it. I also added a can of diced tomatoes.

[Chef #640041]

I made this for my husband and son. It smelled delicious as I was preparing it and cooking it, although the flavor was not really to my liking. I tweaked it just a bit to better suit my taste (added more salt and used a store bought curry powder as well) but it was at least a good base to start with. I served it over basmati rice and put fresh thinly sliced white onion on top. If I make it again I will definately grind all of the whole seeds or just use already ground spices. It seemed a bit seedy to me.

[Chef #1404655]

My husband is indian and I am not. I mak ethis atleast once a month. It is one of our favorite receipes though we have to leave out some of the peppers if we are having guest!