“In the hands of an able cook, fish can become an inexhaustible source of perpetual delight.” -Savarin

Burnt garlic chilli fish is tasty, simple and just so delightfully addictive.

It’s been a while since I posted, where have the days gone? During the Covid lockdown I took to learning an art online -mandala art. To make it short, I just found doing this art so stress free, calming and really challenging. I have been busy drawing and filling up Mandelas by the dozen. A big shout out to my older sister who insisted I take time off and learn the art. I just love it, it is time consuming but the final product makes it all worthwhile.

During the lockdown, with no maids at home I am always in a hurry and want to be done with cooking. So I fished out all my recipes from a particular book I had labelled “fast and easy.” This particular recipe has hardly any ingredients and is over in a jiffy- but the final dish is seriously addictive. All you need is some good fish with firm flesh so that the cubes retain their shape during the process of cooking.

When planning a special menu, it is always important to balance the dishes. Either the meat protein could be a curry, so that the fish or seafood is kept a dry, moist dish just covered in a sauce, or the other way around. The other factors to look into are definitely the colour of the dishes, eye- appeal and the ingredients used for every dish.

Do try out this recipe and let me know-

Ingredients:

• Boneless cubes of fish -1/2 kg
• Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp
• Pepper powder -1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Flour -1 tbsp
• Oil to shallow fry the fish

To fry:

• Chopped garlic- 4-5 tbsp
• Onion -1 big cut into thick wedges
• Capsicum -1 cut into wedges
• Dry red chillies – 3-4
• Chilly flakes -1 tsp
• Kashmiri chilli powder-1 tbsp
• Tomato sauce -1 tbsp
• Any vegetable oil-2-3 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and pat dry the boneless fish cubes.
2. Smear the fish with ginger-garlic paste, pepper, flour and salt. Keep aside for half an hour.
3. In a flat nonstick fry pan, add a little oil and fry the cubes of fish light brown on both sides. Keep aside.
4. In hot oil, add the chopped garlic and fry till dark brown and fragrant.
5. Add the shredded dry chillies and fry.
6. Add onion and capsicum wedges and stir fry for a minute or so.
7. Add the chilli flakes and K. chilli powder and mix well.
8. Add the fish and toss well. Try not to break up the cubes.
9. Finally stir in the tomato sauce and with a quick stir see that the fish is coated lightly and evenly.
10. It is a versatile dish. You could serve it with a Pulao of your choice, make a katti roll or even serve it alongside with a plate of noodles.

Chefs tips:

• You can use either seer, sea bass, red snapper or Indian salmon. The fish has to be boneless and skinless.
• In the place of green capsicum, you could add half of a red/yellow capsicum too for some added colour.
• The fish has to be shallow fried on a tava and not deep fried.
• Do not wait for the onion wedges to turn soft, there has to be a crunch when you bite into the onion.
• This dish can be served with Pulao, or as a filling for a katti roll or even as a starter.
• This dish serves 2-4 adults.

Till my next post,

Cheers

Rose