Aromatic Fish Curry

This curry shows how simple it is to mix your own spices to make a curry paste. It also has no heat as there is no chilli. You could, of course, add some to taste.

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Pilaf rice
1 tablespoon (20ml) olive oil
1 cup long-grain or jasmine rice
1 ½ cups water or stock
Salt to taste
Fish curry
1 tablespoon (20ml) olive oil
1 onion, diced
½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds,
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Curry Spice
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
400ml can crushed tomatoes
2 cups (500ml) coconut milk
600g white fish fillets
Coriander leaves to garnish

1. For the Pilaf: Heat olive oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add rice and stir to coat, “toasting” in the pan for a couple of minutes. Add water or stock to pan and salt and bring to the boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Add more stock partway through cooking process if necessary. Cook for 15 minutes. Check seasoning and serve.
2. For the Curry: Heat oil in a saucepan or deep-sided frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Add mustard seeds and garlic and cook for a moment more or until the onions and garlic are softened and translucent but not brown.
3. Meanwhile pound together coriander, cumin and fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle. Mix with other spices and add to pan and mix well. Add tomatoes and coconut milk, bring to the boil and simmer for a five minutes to infuse flavours.  Add fish, coat with curry and simmer for 2 – 5 minutes depending on size or until fish flakes easily. Serve with rice and garnish with coriander leaves.

Lyndey’s Note:Ground spices can be used in place of the coriander, cumin and fennel seeds.

*Note: Australian measurements 1 tablespoon = 20ml are used throughout.