The salmon fish head curry is one of the new inclusions to be seen on The Big Rajah Menu very soon. So, we thought we would share this recipe with you and welcome your feedback.
Though you can use other fish for this curry, the light sweetness of salmon balances the sharpness of curry perfectly. Salmon does not have that strong fishy taste that some people hate. With some brinjal, onions and tomatoes to enhance the taste and fragrance of this curry, you’re bound to love this recipe.
Time for preparation: 15 mins
Time to cook: 30 mins
Difficulty: 3/5
Ingredients
1 Medium to large sized head of fish
*2 tbsp fish curry powder
*1 tsp tbsp chilly powder
*½ tsp turmeric powder
(Note: mix * with water to forn a thich masala paste)
5-6 pods Garlic chopped coarsely
3 large Bombay onions finely slices
2 fresh chillies slit lengthwise
3 ripe tomatoes cut in wedges
1 brinjal cut in wedges
5-6 Okra cut in half
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 stalks coriander leaves cut coarsely.
50gm Tamarind pulp mixed with one cup water to form a thick paste (strained)
50 ml fresh coconut cream
1 tsp fenugreek
1 tsp mustard seeds
t tsp cumin seeds
3tbs cooking oil
salt to taste
Method
a) Heat oil in a wok then add fenugreek, mustard seed and cumin. Add in the curry leaves fresh chillies, chopped garlic and sliced onions. Sauté until onions are cooked.
b) Add masala paste and reduce flame allowing the paste to cook until oil surfaces.
c) Add 500 ml water and tamarind paste and bring to a boil.
d) Add in the vegetables (brinjal, okra and tomatoes). They should be soft but not overcooked to the bite.
e) Add salt to taste, reduce flame and submerge fish head in gravy. Boil for a further 5 minutes reducing the fire to medium-low.
f) Add coconut cream and let it simmer until fish is cooked for a few more minutes taking caution not to overcook the fish. Add coriander leaves just before dishing out.
Note from the chef: Ensure that the fish is fresh for best effect. Instead of using fresh coconut, you may substitute with fresh yoghurt or milk for a healthier option. If you prefer a spicier fish curry, you may add another teaspoon of curry powder.
Warning: Ensure that the fire is well controlled throughout the cooking process. Vegetables should be soft but not overcooked. Remember that cooking brinjal releases additional water into the gravy so it would be good to control the density of the curry. Finally, the fish head should be cooked and NOT overcooked as it would look rather unappealing if it falls all apart into the curry.
In general, this is not too hard a dish to create. The main challenge would be fire control. Ensure that the fire is kept at medium during the cooking period then lower the heat later so that the fish cooks beautifully.
