Fish Curry With Tamarind Recipe
Ingredients
| Water | 8 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Salt | To Taste | |
| 6 skinless grouper fillets | ||
| Tamarind | 4 Ounce | |
| 4 dried small red chilies, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and drained | ||
| 4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced | ||
| 2 tablespoons mild curry powder | ||
| Coriander seeds | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Cumin seeds | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Belacan | 1/2 Tablespoon, crushed | |
| 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil | ||
| Mustard seeds | 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| 1 large onion, very thinly sliced | ||
| Curry leaves | 12 | |
| Lemongrass stalk | 1 | |
| 6 inches only, smashed | ||
| One 14.5-ounce can unsweeten coconut milk | ||
| 1/2 pound okra, stem ends trimmed | ||
| 1 Japanese eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces | ||
| 2 medium tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges | ||
| 2 to 3 Thai chilies, halved and seeded | ||
| Sugar | 1 Teaspoon | |
Directions
1. In a large, deep skillet, bring the water to a simmer with 1 tablespoon of salt over high heat and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the grouper fillets to the salted water and poach over low heat for 6 minutes, until the fish is partially cooked. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the grouper fillets to a large platter. Carefully pour 4 cups of the fish poaching liquid into a medium bowl and discard the rest.
2. Pour 2 cups of the reserved poaching liquid into another bowl. Add the tamarind and use a potato masher to break it up as much as possible. Strain the tamarind juice into a small bowl, pressing on the solids; discard the solids.
3. In a small skillet, combine the soaked red chilies, sliced garlic, curry powder, whole coriander seeds, whole cumin seeds and belacan and toast over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the seasonings to a spice grinder and let cool. Grind the seasonings to a dry paste.
4. Wipe out the deep skillet and add the vegetable oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook over moderately low heat until they begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring, until the color deepens slightly, about 3 minutes. Add the sliced onion, curry leaves and smashed lemongrass and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 8 minutes.
5. Add the tamarind juice to the skillet and bring to a boil. Add the coconut milk, okra, eggplant, tomatoes, Thai chilies, sugar and the remaining 2 cups of fish poaching liquid and bring to a simmer over high heat. Season with salt and cook the curry sauce over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is thickened slightly, about 40 minutes.
6. Cut the grouper fillets into 2-inch pieces and nestle them in the curry sauce. Simmer the curry over moderately high heat until the grouper is just cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.
2. Pour 2 cups of the reserved poaching liquid into another bowl. Add the tamarind and use a potato masher to break it up as much as possible. Strain the tamarind juice into a small bowl, pressing on the solids; discard the solids.
3. In a small skillet, combine the soaked red chilies, sliced garlic, curry powder, whole coriander seeds, whole cumin seeds and belacan and toast over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the seasonings to a spice grinder and let cool. Grind the seasonings to a dry paste.
4. Wipe out the deep skillet and add the vegetable oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook over moderately low heat until they begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring, until the color deepens slightly, about 3 minutes. Add the sliced onion, curry leaves and smashed lemongrass and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 8 minutes.
5. Add the tamarind juice to the skillet and bring to a boil. Add the coconut milk, okra, eggplant, tomatoes, Thai chilies, sugar and the remaining 2 cups of fish poaching liquid and bring to a simmer over high heat. Season with salt and cook the curry sauce over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is thickened slightly, about 40 minutes.
6. Cut the grouper fillets into 2-inch pieces and nestle them in the curry sauce. Simmer the curry over moderately high heat until the grouper is just cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.
Chef
