Ingredients

• 500 gm. firm, boneless white fish, like Indian carp (katla). Haddock, Cod, dace etc. can also be used. Salmon can be used too, though a bit strong for a curry.

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. turmeric

• Grind together for curry paste:

• 200 gm or 1 large onion, peeled and grated

• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled

• 1-1 1/2 inch piece of ginger root, peeled

• 1-2 green chillies

• 1/2 tsp. chilli powder

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper corns

• 2 tsp. coriander powder

• 1 level tsp. cumin powder

• 1-2 tsp. poppy seeds, soaked in 2 tbsp. warm water for 5-10 minutes

• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

• 1 tbsp. blanched almonds

• 1 tbsp. vinegar

• 1 tsp. salt

• Other ingredients:

• 4 tbsp. ghee/clarified butter or oil

• 2 tbsp. thick, natural yoghurt* (dahi) or sour cream

• 1 cup boiling hot water

• A large pinch of saffron strand, dissolved in 1/4 cup of full cream milk at room temperature

• Garnish:

• 2 fresh, red chillies, slit lenghtways

• 1/2 tsp. Garam Masala

• A handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Clean and wash fish pieces. Dry with a paper towel.

2. Sprinkle with salt and turmeric and leave aside while you get curry paste ready.

3. Place all ingredients for curry paste in a grinder/blender and grind to a paste. You will need to add a little water.

4. Heat 3-4 tbsp. ghee in a wok or frying pan and fry fish pieces until nicely sealed and a little browned. Keep aside on an absorbent paper.

5. In the rest of the oil, fry ground curry paste mix, until ghee separates/the whole mass comes off the pan and there is a nice aroma of fried spices and onions. Ground onions always take longer to fry than chopped ones, partly because you have to add extra water to grind them, approximately 20 minutes on medium heat.

6. Add yoghurt* or sour cream and continue frying, until ghee separates/the spice mix ?comes off? the pan.

7. Add 1 cup boiling water, bring to boil.

8. Add fish and salt. Bring to boil, cover and simmer gently for 8 minutes.

9. Add saffron-milk mix and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

10. Turn heat off, add garam masala and garnish with slit red chillies and coriander leaves.

11. Serve hot with Boiled Rice, Chapatties and other Indian dishes.

Notes

• This recipe will give you a thick gravy. If you like thin gravy, add a little more boiling water during simmering stage.

• *Tips for cooking with yoghurt:

• Always use full fat yoghurt, if possible. Skimmed milk yoghurt sometimes curdles during cooking. If you wish to use low fat yoghurt, add 1 heaped teaspoon of plain or corn flour per cup of yoghurt.

• Make sure that the dish you are cooking is at room temperature. If yoghurt is cooked straight from the fridge, it may curdle.

• When adding yoghurt during cooking, take out a few tablespoons of the hot food in a bowl, mix yoghurt, warming it a bit and then stir it back into the hot dish.

• Substitute sour cream for yoghurt, using only half the amount.