Tuna Fish Curry with Creamed Coconut and Whole Grain Mustard
Chura or Choora Machli Curry
Mamta Gupta
Tuna Fish flesh is a perfect, pink, firm texture that does not break up easily when cooked in a curry sauce. Here I have cooked it with whole grain mustard and creamed coconut. This recipe can be used for other fish too, just adjust the cooking time according to fish.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
500 gm. fresh tuna steaks, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 medium or 250-300 gm. onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 inch piece of ginger peeled and roughly chopped
3-4 tbsp. oil
1 level tsp. black mustard seeds (rai)
12-15 curry leaves, meetha neem patte (not bay leaves)
2 dry red chillies, broken up into halves
1 level tsp. turmeric powder
2 tsp. coriander powder
1 level tsp. chilli powder, adjust to taste
1 1/2-2 level tsp. salt, adjust to taste. It is better to start with less and add more if necessary
2 level tbsp. whole grain made mustard like Coleman's or similar
1 1/2-2 cups water, more if you want a thinner gravy
2-3 tbsp. creamed coconut. You can used tinned creamed coconut or a piece of a block of creamed coconut. The amount is a rough guide only, taste and adjust it to your taste. If you can find fresh coconut, not the dry desiccated one, then use that instead.
1 tsp. Garam Masala
A handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped.
Instructions
Cut each Tuna Fish fillet into 1 1/2 - 2 inch portions. Keep aside.
Place onions, ginger, garlic in a food processor and grind to a paste or chop finely.
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter, add curry leaves and whole chillies. Stir for 5-10 seconds. Mustard seeds jump a lot, so you may like to cover the pan while they are spluttering.
Add and fry the onion, ginger, garlic mix, until oil separates and it onions turn a little brown. brown.
Add turmeric, coriander, chilli powder and salt. Stir fry for a few seconds. Add 2 tbsp. water and stir fry until oil separates. This helps to cook onions etc. through.
Add mustard and stir fry for a minute or two, until oil separates from the mass again or it looks shiny.
Add water, bring to boil and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Add the coconut cream. Simmer for another minute or two.
Add fish chunks and stir fry gently for a minute. Fish should not be over cooked.
Turn heat off, add garam masala and cover, allowing for the flavours to infuse.
Serve garnished with coriander leaves, with freshly Boiled Rice.
