Super Salmon !!

There is nothing like a nice unadulterated taste of salmon seasoned with just a little salt pepper and lemon juice! 

Last night I made Salmon, stir fry vegetables on the side and some nice Focaccia  served with an olive oil + garlic dip. And this makes for a nice romantic dinner for two when served with Pinot Noir and some jazz playing in the background!

You need:

Salmon steak/ fillet – 2 nos.

Salt – to taste

Pepper – to taste 

Lemon juice – 1 tsp

Extra virgin olive oil – 1 Tbsp

Lemon wedges – 2

Vegetables – Anything of your choice like carrots, beans, snow peas, broccoli, cauliflowers, cherry tomatoes etc. 

1. Sprinkle a pinch of salt, pepper and a lemon juice on both sides of the salmon steaks and let it soak in the flavor for 10-15 min. Don't keep it for more than 15 min as the salt and lemon juice will start cooking the fish and it will not be as juicy.
2. Once ready, heat oil in a heavy bottom non-stick pan. 
3. Gently place the salmon steaks on the pan. Grill for 2 min each side, without covering.  
4. Remove immediately. 
5. In the same pan, with the remaining oil, pan fry the vegetable on a high heat. Just sprinkle salt and pepper. 
6. Serve the salmon and vegetables with a lemon wedge. You can also serve it with any dip of your choice. I prefer making mine, by mixing 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 grated garlic, dried/ fresh oregano and basil.

*You can also pair the salmon with oven roasted vegetables if you wish to.

Mangalorean Fish Curry

 I ate a lot of this kind of fish curry with hot steamed rice during hostel days in Manipal. However   this curry is more popularly eaten with neer dosa in typical Mangalorean joints.

I remember this curry being super hot ( temperature and taste too) with prominent coconut, curry leaves and of course fish. Fish wasn't fried, but cooked in the gravy, which was quite thin.

I think the fish in this curry was Bhangda, but since we don't get same in US, Tilapia is a good substitute.

You need:

Oil

Methi/Fenugreek seeds (6 to 7)
Ajwain/Carom seeds (1/2 tsp)

Garlic (4 cloves)

Onion (4 medium, thinly sliced)

Coriander seeds (2 tbsp)

Cumin Seeds (1 tsp)

Curry Leaves (15/20)

Dry red chili (3 to 4)

Grated coconut (1.5 cups)

Ginger ( 1inch)

Fish (I used Tilapia)

Green Chili (2 nos)

Tamarind Concentrate / Extract

Process:

1. Marinate fish pieces with salt and turmeric for 15 mins, and shallow fry.
2. To make the base curry paste:
3. In the same oil, add methi, ajwain, 2 cloves of garlic and sauté for a minute on low flame
4. Add sliced onion (2 noose) and sauté for a minute
5. Add coriander seed, cumin seeds and fry a little more. Sauté till onions turn translucent.
6. Add curry leaves (10-12), dry red chili and 1.5 cups grated coconut. Sauté till you get nice aroma.
7. Blend this mixture with 2 inch ginger , garlic cloves (2), green chili (2) into a smooth paste. Add water if required to blend.
8. In 2 tbsp oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves. Once they splutter, add remaining sliced onions. Once the onions are golden brown, add the base curry paste and fry till it leaves oil on the sides.
9. Add tamarind concentrate, salt and curry leaves (4 to 5), and water. Bring to a boil and let it cook for 5-6 mins.
10. Add fish. Cover and cook for 4-5 mins. Garnish with green chili and coriander. 

* I like eating this with hot steamed rice with lemon squeezed on top. A hint of extra salt also adds to the zing.

Fish in mustard based gravy

Traditionally this preparation is made with Rohu/ Hilsa, but a lot of people find tilapia to be a good substitute, in the absence of the said fishes. However I prefer Salmon over Tilapia in this curry. Am not sure how authentic can you call this recipe (compared to the Bengali and Oriya style) as I have tried to check almost every blog/ site, but found each one slightly different from the other in some way. So learning from my earlier numerous attempts and instinct, I tried this today with some more variations, and I think, this was the closest to the mustard fish I have tasted in some restaurants. It has a balanced flavor of pungent mustard, tang from tomates and sweetness from onions.

You need:

Salmon steaks (cut into 3 inch x 3 inch)

Mustard seeds – 3 Tbsp

Poppy seeds – 1 Tbsp

Green Chili – 3 nos

Coriander leaves – 3 tbsp

Oil

Nigella seeds

Potato – 1 No (Cut into wedges, dont peel it)

Tomatoes – 1 No (Cut into wedges)

Garlic Paste – 1.5 tsp

Onion – 1 no. (Thin sliced)

Coriander powder

Turmeric powder

Garam Masala

Salt

Mustard oil

1) Coat the fish with salt, turmeric powder and little mustard oil. Leave it for 15-20 min.

2) Take oil in a non stick pan. Fry the potatoes wedges till light brown (almost cooked)

3) In the same oil, fry the fish till 3/4^th done. Remove the fish.

4) In this oil, add nigella seeds. Once it gives an aroma, add the garlic paste and fry till light brown.

5) Now add the onion, salt and turmeric and fry till light brown.

6) Add coriander powder, garam masala and fry.

7) Add water depending on the consistency you like and bring to a boil.

8) To this, add the potatoes and fish, cover and cook for 2-3 min.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Doi Maach

Doimaach (Carp in yogurt based gravy)

You need:
500 gms Rohu fish (carp fish)
100 gms curd
3 tbs. Onion paste
1 tbs. Ginger paste
1 tbs. Jeera (Cumin) paste
1/2 tsp. Garlic paste
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. Haldi powder (Turmeric)
1 tsp. Cumin seeds
3 Cardamom
3 cloves

1 inch stick Cinnamon
2 Bay leaves
4 green chilli (slit)
4 tbs. Oil
1 tsp. Ghee
1 tbs. sugar
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Wash the fish with cold water. Smear haldi and salt to the fish pieces and keep them aside.

Whip the curd well in a large bowl and prepare a marinade with the curd, onion paste, ginger-garlic paste, sugar, chilli powder and salt and blend it thoroughly.
Heat oil and shallow fry the fish pieces in a deep pan/kadai till yellowish brown. Then strain them.
Now add the bay leaves, the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds and allow it to splutter. Add the masala paste left to marinade and fry it till the oil starts leaving it from all sides. Now add the fried fish and cook for another 8 mins.
When the fish is done add the ghee and the green chillies.

Serve hot with steaming rice.

**Cooking on medium flame recommended.

Daarun !!!