South: malabar fish poached in coconut milk

2 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
Stephen Ceideburg
4 Fish filets (red snapper, sole, bass or whitefish) *
2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon Salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
2½ tablespoon Mild vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Dried curry leaves (or 8 fresh curry leaves), or minced cilantro
1 cup Chopped onion
2 teaspoons Grated fresh ginger
1 Or 2 fresh serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, minced
¼ teaspoon Turmeric
½ teaspoon Ground cumin
2 tablespoons Unsweetened flaked coconut
1½ cup Coconut milk

Directions

* ½-inch thick and about 5-½ ounces each This simple classic from the coastal region of southern India makes an elegant entree for a fancy dinner.

Place fish in a shallow dish and rub well with lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add fish and cook until just opaque, about 2 minutes per side.

Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan. Add curry leaves, onion, ginger, chiles and turmeric. Cook until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add cumin, coconut and coconut milk. Cook, uncovered, until sauce is slightly thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Gently slip in fish filets, cook 1 or 2 minutes and remove from heat.

Transfer fish to a heated platter. Spoon sauce over and serve.

Note: Dried or fresh curry leaves are available at Indian grocery stores.

PER SERVING: 920 calories, 69 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 67 g fat (43 g saturated), 115 mg cholesterol, 762 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.

Laxmi Hiremath writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 6/24/93.

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