DHU FISH CURRY

Serves: 4 as part of a main meal.

Prep Time: 15 minutes.

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Dietary Style: GF.

DF Sub: Coconut oil.

The quality of dhu fish is that makes this curry so special. Dhu fish is a West Australian ocean fish that is sweet and fresh, with a thick flesh that texturally falls between cod and lobster.

The delicacy of fish makes this a much faster prep than traditional Kashmiri mutton, lamb, or chicken dishes. But don’t skip that initial deep frying step—it is really where a lot of the structural flavour is imbued.

Technically not any kind of traditional South Indian regional recipe, the spicing nonetheless borrows from the South in the broadest sense. Coconut fats, curry leaf, mustard seeds, and fresh chilli, ginger and garlic is definitely reminiscent of some aspects of Keralan and Goan cuisine.

INGREDIENTS:

• 800 gm filleted dhu fish
• 2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup mustard oil
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 2 fresh red chillies
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• Fresh ginger to taste
• 1 tsp fine pink salt
• 2/3 tsp fine white salt

• 2 tsp fennel powder
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 1/3 tsp cassia powder
• 1/3 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp tumeric powder
• 1/3 tsp fenugreek powder
• 3 tsp yellow mustard seed
• 1 1/2 tsp black mustard seed
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 fronds fresh curry leaf

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1. Start with the prep. Cut the filleted fish into rough cubes. Slit your red chillies down the middle but leave whole. Chop the garlic cloves finely. Mince or grate your fresh ginger on a micro plane. I used around 1 tbsp of minced ginger for this recipe.

2. In a cast iron kadai, wok, or heavy bottomed pan heat the canola and mustard oils until very hot but not smoking. Flash fry the fish in small batches until each piece is a little browned in the outside. Do not cook them through.

3. In a large frying pan, heat the ghee on a gentle heat. Add the whole red chillies, ginger, garlic, and all of the spices EXCEPT for the fresh curry leaf. Take the pan off the heat if you need to for this process—spices burn very quickly when unattended. Stir through and temper for a few minutes until the spices are bubbling slightly and aromatic.

4. Add back the fried fish cubes at this point. Continue to cook on low heat for just a few minutes until the spices coat the fish somewhat. Now add the tin of coconut milk and stir through a few minutes.

5. Add the fresh curry leaf at this point and continue to cook the fish on a low heat for around five to seven minutes, or until the fish is just cooked, the oil splits the coconut milk just a little, and the masala paste is a little thickened.

6. Serve with fluffy basmati rice.