AS SEEN ON THE
CHEF BIG’ S
KITCHEN TABLE
Cyrus Todiwala
Karimeen Polichattu
SERVES 4
FOR THE FISH
• 4 x 200g white fish fillets( bream, pollock, tilapia), cut into 7-8cm cubes
FOR THE MARINADE:
• 100g pearl onions, chopped
• 50g ginger, crushed
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4-5 red chillies, soaked and puréed
• 12 curry leaves
• ½-¾ tsp turmeric
• 8 cashews, soaked in 100ml hot water
FOR THE SAUCE:
• 1-2 tbsp neutral oil
• 15 curry leaves
• 2 green chillies, halved
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp white pepper
• ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 150ml coconut cream or milk
An age-old recipe evolving from Old Keralan or Cochin Jewish cooking, this is a variation of a classic made in the Keralan home.
1 For the marinade, transfer all the marinade ingredients along with 1 tsp salt to a blender and blitz to a paste. Apply the marinade to the fish pieces, transfer to a bowl, cover and chill for 1-2 hours, or longer if possible.
2 For the sauce, heat the oil in a skillet or shallow pan over medium heat. Add the curry leaves and green chillies and cook for 5-10 seconds. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, stirring regularly and reducing the heat to prevent browning. If the pan dries up too quickly, add a little water to keep the onions soft and the pan base clean. Once the onions have softened, allow them to caramelise slightly.
3 Remove the fish from the fridge and scrape off the marinade, reserving it for later. Add the reserved marinade to the onion pan along with the ground coriander, white pepper, red chilli powder and chopped tomatoes. Add a little water to help the cooking process. Cook for about 5 minutes until the mixture is nearly dry and little bubbles of oil appear, indicating the masala is cooked.
4 Stir in the coconut milk and mix well. Add the fish pieces, ensuring they are well coated in the masala. Cover and simmer over a low heat for a few minutes until the fish is cooked through, adjusting the cooking time based on the thickness of the fish. Season and serve.
113 goodfoodshow. com