Category: Seafood

Fish Curry in 25 Minutes.

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Fish Curry

I actually measured the amount of time it took me to prepare this dish. From start to finish. The fish was at room temperature.

You Need:

  • Approximately one dozen Anchovies.
  • One Onion.
  • Three or Four Green Chilies.
  • Three or Four Tomatoes.
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Paste.
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric.
  • 2 Teaspoons of Coriander Powder.
  • A nice big fistful of coriander leaves.
  • Red Chilly Powder – Optional. I did not use it.

Start heating about 2 tablespoons of oil and while it heats, chop up the onion and remove the top part of the chilies. Start sauteing the onions and green chilies. While they cook on medium, chop the tomatoes. When chopped, add them to the onions. Add the garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder. Season with salt. Mix well and let them cook on medium heat.

On another stove start heating about 100 ml of water.

Finely chop the coriander. By now the oil would have started to separate from the tomatoes. Only after this happens, add the coriander and hot water to the masala.

When the gravy starts to get a rolling boil, add the fish. High heat for about 2-3 mins, so that the fish gets to the same temperature.

Cover and cook on low heat for another 6-8 mins.

Open and dry up the consistency if needed. But I highly recommend that you don’t reduce it a lot. That watery gravy is just perfect to soak into dosa’s or idlies.

I paired this up with some green moong dosa’s to keep the meal low carb.

How to remove the bones from Anchovies

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My family loves fresh anchovies. But the pesky little bones are a pain when feeding kids. This is a simple way to clean and remove the bones at the same time.

Ask your fish monger to remove the heads and some of the guts. Wash off surface grime before you start.

  1. Using your thumb start by expanding the tear in the gut all the way to the tail.
  2. The fish will now open up like a butterfly.
  3. Pull out the bone starting from the head.
  4. Its ok, if the bone breaks or a little flesh tears away. Wash off under a running tap.

Once you get the hang of it, its quite easy. I can easily process over 2 kilos of these in under 30 mins. Its just a matter of practice.

Enjoy. This is the kind of mediation that helps keep you healthy and happy.

Fish Summer Salad

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IMG_20180329_113955-01-01.jpegYou Need:

  • One slice of Seer fish boneless, cut into small pieces. You can use any fish you like.
  • 1 inch piece of Ginger, finally diced.
  • 1 or 2 green chilies finely chopped.
  • One bell pepper, chopped up.
  • One tablespoon fresh cream.

Combine all the ingredients except the fresh cream. Let them chill out with each other for about 10-20 mins. Use a small pan. Heat a little oil and saute everything on medium heat. Season with salt. Cook till the fish is done. You know this when you slice thru a piece and its all the same color.

Add the fresh cream and mix well. Continue cooking on low heat. When the oil separates and a nice sheen covers everything, its done. This will take mostly take around three minutes.

Serve on a simple tomato and cucumber salad, preferably chilled.

Fish en Croute

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There are just four simple elements that come together to make this gorgeous dish.

  • A Puff Pastry at room temperature. Divide into two equal parts.
  • Fish Fillets. I used black Pomfret. Run your fingers over the fish multiple times to be absolutely sure that there are no bones. You can also use fishes like Sea Bass, Salmon etc.
  • Creamed Spinach. Simply saute some garlic in butter. Add the spinach. Cook till it dries up. Add fresh cream. Take care that the consistency is a little thick and not runny.
  • Egg Wash : Crack an egg and mix the yolk and white using a fork.

Preheat an oven to 180 C.

Lay out some parchment paper. Keep one part of the puff pastry. Spread out the creamed spinach. Leave a margin of about 1 inch on all sides. Keep fish on top of the spinach. Cover with spinach.

Brush the egg wash all over the margin. Close with the second part of the puff pastry. Pinch and seal the edges. Use a fork and tap in many holes all over the top of the pastry. Do not fully puncture the pastry. A few deep holes are fine but keep most of the hole no more than an mm deep. Brush the egg wash all over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes in the oven at 180C.

Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before you slice it.

 

Roasted Eggplant with Creamy Sorrel Prawns

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One of those things that just fall into place as you stare into the refrigerator.

You need:

  • 100 grams of prawns.
  • 100 grams of Green sorrel Leaves, chopped up.
  • 6-7 Small Eggplants. Sliced vertically into 3 pieces.
  • Fresh cream about one cup, at room temperature.
  • Salt and pepper.
  • Butter.

Heat a non stick pan and place the eggplants. Let them get roasted on both sides. Remove and keep aside.

Melt butter in the pan. Saute the prawns on medium heat till they are fully white on the side but while they are still raw add the sorrel leaves. Let them wilt and release moisture. Do not let it dry up. Slowly add in the fresh cream and cook on low heat. When it comes to a light boil, keep stirring. This is avoid scalding the cream and protect it from curdling. Season with salt and pepper. Keep it just a tad more salty than you usually keep.

Serve into a plate and cover with the roasted eggplants.

Do not let your family taste it. The tasting session will end up finishing the dish.

Murungakkai Erra

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Murungakkai is the Tamil word for Drumsticks. Erra is prawns.

This is an all time favorite combination in my house. Very easy to cook and tastes awesome.

You need:

  • 3 Drumsticks, peeled and cut into three inch long pieces.
  • 200 grams of cleaned and de-veined prawns.
  • One medium size onion, chopped.
  • Two tomatoes, chopped.
  • A teaspoon of red chilly powder.
  • A teaspoon or a little more of coriander powder.
  • A pinch or two of turmeric.
  • Two tablespoons of coconut milk.
  • 1 teaspoon of Ginger-Garlic Paste.

Use a pressure pan. Heat oil. Saute the onions. When they have softened, add the ginger garlic paste. Sprinkle turmeric powder and red chilly powder. Mix well and cook till the raw edge of the chilly powder is gone. Add the tomatoes. Sprinkle salt. Cook till oil starts to separate. Add the coriander powder and prawns. Now you must work a little fast. Mix well. Add the coconut milk and combine everything till its all one uniform color. Add the drumsticks. Drizzle a little water. Pressure cook for exactly one whistle.

As soon as the whistling starts. Switch off the stove. Let it cool on its own.

It should ideally have the right consistency. But there is a possibility depending on the freshness of the drumsticks that you have a little excess moisture. Use high heat for no more than 3-4 mins to dry it up.

Enjoy a very yummy side dish with roti’s or rice. Kids will love the juicy drumsticks.

Seer in Mushroom Butter Sauce

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You Need:

  • Two slices of Seer Fish. You can also use Pink Perch, Sea Bass or Salmon. Preferably as a fillet. Skin on or off depends on the fish.
  • 1 heaped tablespoon of butter.
  • 200 gms of Button Mushrooms, finely chopped
  • One onion chopped.
  • One bell pepper, chopped. This is optional.
  • One tablespoon of flour (Maida).
  • One cup of milk.
  • The zest and juice of a lemon.
  • Some finely chopped coriander.
  • Salt and Pepper.

Melt butter and in it saute the onion and mushrooms. Cook on medium to high heat till they are soft. Add the bell pepper. When the onions have started to sweeten, take a deep breath from the pan. Remember this smell. Now sprinkle the flour. Cook on low heat. The smell would have changed to something completely different and raw.

Keep stirring and cook on low heat. Prevent the formation of any lumps. Soon the raw edge will go away and it will start smelling like how it was before the flour was added. At this point add a tablespoon of milk. Mix it in. Keep adding milk in small doses, while stirring. This will prevent the formation of lumps. When the sauce starts to get a a soft boil, season with salt and pepper. Taste and check. Its ok to be a little extra salty and peppery. Sprinkle the coriander. Carefully place the fish. Scoop some of the sauce on top of the fish. Cover and cook till the fish is done. This time depends on the fish being used. My seer slices took about 8-10 mins. Switch off the stove and leave it covered for at least 10 mins. This will allow the fish to get a stronger flavor profile.

Serve warm. This is a meal in itself. But if you have to share with more people, then some garlic bread will go very well with it.