Thursday, July 22, 2010

Pomfret in a green curry

One of the things I like most about cooking in India is shopping for the ingredients. It takes a while, mind you, but it's always nice when the vegetable vendor recognises me with a smile and the grocer asks after my husband if he hasn't seen him for a while. It is a very personal shopping experience and sometimes I have to avoid certain stalls simply because I'm in a hurry and can't chat!

Pomfret in a green curry

When it comes to buying fish, however, I rely on my aunt or mother. I'm not really sure how to recognise 'fresh' fish. Last week, I got some pointers from our neighbour (a different one from the last post) and bought some pomfret from the lady who sells fish door-to-door.

Pomfret in a green curry

I used my grand mum's recipe, given to me by my aunt. Here's what I did:

Ingredients

1 smal onion
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut
3-4 green chillies
4-5 cloves of garlic
1/4" piece ginger
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp corriander seeds
3-4 pepper corns
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 lime-sized piece of tamarind soaked in water
1 bunch fresh corriander (cilantro)

1/2 kg pomfret
1/2 tsp tumeric
2 medium-sized tomatoes, cut in quarters

To make:
  1. Wash and salt fish. Set aside in a collander.
  2. Grind first 11 ingredients in a food processor. Add water as required to make a thick paste.
  3. Heat saucepan. Add oil and the fabulously green paste and tumeric. Fry for 5 minutes.
  4. Add fish. Cook a while, add quartered tomatoes.
  5. Cover saucepan. Turn gas off when fish is cooked completely.
  6. Serve after 5 minutes.
Pomfret in a green curry

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