By Lizzie King
There is nothing more comforting to me than a bowl of steaming, fragrant rice with ladles of unctuous, aromatic curry covering it. As this recipe uses fish, it is light, as well as being mild in heat terms, so all ages can enjoy it together. Do leave the red chilli out or adjust according to age/taste - the warmth and flavours from the other herbs and spices are such a fabulous way of getting the whole family to test their palates and try new things.
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ inch fresh ginger, peeled
• 1 plump red chilli, finely sliced
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp fenugreek
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 300ml coconut milk
• 300 ml veg, chicken or fish stock
• 1 tin cherry tomatoes
• 15 curry leaves
• 300g Basmati rice
• 4 whole cardamom pods, lightly bashed until cracked open
• 600g mix of firm fish like monkfish and salmon, cut in bitesize chunks
• 200g raw king prawns
• Handful fresh coriander
• Sea salt
• Pepper
Method
1. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan, adding the mustard seeds and stir until they start popping as they heat up. Tip in the onion and cook for around 4-5 mins until softening, then add in the garlic and ginger crushed with the back of a knife.
2. After another 3-4 minutes add in the chilli (taste dependent, you may want to leave this out and add your own in later on) ground coriander, fenugreek and turmeric. Cook with the onion for 2-3 mins. Pour in the coconut, stock and tomatoes and add the curry leaves. Season with a good pinch of sea salt and simmer for 8-10 mins.
3. Cook the rice according to instructions but adding the cardamom pods into the cooking water to infuse.
4. Add the fish into the hot sauce along with the prawns and cook very gently for 5-6 mins. Serve with basmati rice, and some fresh coriander leaves. And more chilli if you need (I always do).
