I make a curry every two or three weeks. I say “a curry” in that rather generic British way, because I make absolutely no claims for its authenticity. I can’t trace it origins specifically to Goa or Gujarat. It isn’t a recipe that has been handed down over generations. All I can say is that I base my “curry” vaguely on principles I have gleaned from kitchens in the various bits of India I have been lucky enough to visit.
Whole spices are sizzled in oil, then onion is added, then puréed garlic and ginger, then powdered spice. Sometimes, though not always, there is tomato and/or coconut, sometimes yoghurt; sometimes other spices, such as fenugreek or fennel seed, nigella, asafoetida or curry leaves. I confess that I slightly make it up as I go along.
As for the main ingredient, it’s whatever I have to hand: potato or squash, spinach, fish, chicken, lamb. As I say, it isn’t authentic, but it always tastes good.
This week, I happened to have a piece of coley from the fishmongers and some spinach from the garden. So coley and spinach curry it is. It’s quite a mild number, aromatic rather than fiercely hot. You could always add a pinch of red chilli powder (with the turmeric and ground coriander) if you wanted more of a kick.
Coley, incidentally, is a member of the cod family, though rather cheaper than its better-known cousin. Some people give it to their cats. Lucky cats, I say.
Ingredients (serves 4)
5 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp black mustard seed
5 whole cloves
1 heaped tsp fennel seed
2 fresh green chillies, slit lengthways, but left attached at the stem end
3-4 dried Kashmiri chillies
30 fresh curry leaves (or a similar quantity of dried)
3 onions, finely chopped
10 cloves garlic, finely grated
7cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
400g tin chopped plum tomatoes (these can either be left chunky or blitzed to a purée)
400g tin coconut milk
Fine sea salt and black pepper
600g coley fillets (or other white fish), cut into 2-3cm chunks
150g spinach
2 handfuls of fresh coriander leaves
Juice of ½ lemon
Method
Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan. When it’s hot, add the cumin, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cloves and both kinds of chillies. Wait until the mustard seeds start to pop, then throw in the curry leaves and stir for a few seconds more.
Add the onion and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until soft and just starting to brown. Stir in the garlic and ginger purées and cook for a few minutes more, stirring often, until the raw smell subsides, then add the turmeric and ground coriander and stir over the heat for a minute.
Tip in the tomatoes, plus 200ml water and 1 tsp salt. Add a few generous grinds of black pepper and leave to simmer gently for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is thick and rich, and blobs of oil are appearing on the surface.
Add the coconut milk and simmer for another five minutes for the flavours to combine, then stir in the spinach leaves until they start to wilt. Taste for salt and season again if necessary.
Add the pieces of fish and gently fold in. Leave to simmer gently for 4-5 minutes until just cooked through, but still holding their shape.
Chop most of the coriander and fold through, then add lemon juice to taste, plus a touch more salt if needed. Sprinkle with the remaining coriander before serving – with rice or Indian breads as you see fit.
Lucas Hollweg is an award-winning food writer, cookbook author and cook. A former Sunday Times journalist and cookery columnist, he writes for a wide range of food publications. His most recent book isGood Things to Eat.
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