Fish
Goan Fish Curry with Fragrant Rice
Fish cooks very rapidly when immersed in liquid. The key to cooking it well is to make sure it doesn’t cook too vigorously or for too long. In this curry, the fish is lightly cooked for just a couple of minutes, before letting the pan sit so that it finishes cooking in the residual heat.
Tamarind is a fruit, the pulp of which is used extensively in Indian cuisine. Sharp, sweet and sour, it is a perfect pairing with fish and seafood, much in the way we traditionally use lemon. Add more if you like things a bit sourer.
Ingredients
- 200g basmati rice
- 4 cardamom pods
- 1 star anise
- oil for frying
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tbsp curry leaves
- 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 400g tin coconut milk
- 150g French beans, topped and tailed
- 300g diced pollock
Method
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Step 1
Put a saucepan with 500ml of salted water on to boil. Wash the rice in a sieve under cold running water. Lightly crush the cardamom pods, just enough to reveal the seeds. When boiling, add the rice to the water along with the cardamom and the star anise. Stir once, cover loosely and cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Allow it to sit, tightly covered, for a further 10 minutes off the heat.
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Step 2
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in another saucepan. Cook the onion for about 8 minutes, until softened and starting to colour. Add the garlic, ginger, spices, tomatoes and tamarind. Cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring continuously to avoid the spices sticking.
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Step 3
Add the coconut milk, French beans and 100ml of water. Bring to a simmer and season with salt. Cook gently for 10 minutes.
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Step 4
Season the fish well with salt. Add the fish into the pan once the beans have cooked. Simmer gently for 2 minutes before removing from the heat. Pop the lid on and let the curry sit for 5 minutes while you deal with the rice.
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Step 5
Fluff up the rice with a fork and drain away any remaining water. Pick out the cardamom pods and star anise if you want; if not, just eat around them.
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Step 6
Taste your curry and adjust the seasoning with a little more salt if needed. If you'd like it a little sourer, you can add more tamarind. Serve the curry with the rice and garnish with coriander.