Fish curry

This fish curry doesn’t belong to any particular regional cuisine. It’s just what I threw together tonight, and it came out rather well.

1t

cumin seeds

½t

coriander seeds

½t

black mustard seeds

3

allspice berries

5

cloves

1t

fennel seeds

1t

ground turmeric

1t

ground paprika

4

cardamom pods

1

piece cinnamon bark

1

bay leaf

1t

garam masala

1t

salt (approx)

6

garlic cloves

2cm

root ginger, peeled

6

finger chillis (more or less to taste)

splash

white wine vinegar

1T

tamarind block

1

stick celery, thinly sliced

2

red onions, chopped

400g

tinned chopped tomatoes

500g

white fish, cut into 4cm pieces

• Soak tamarind block in a little freshly boiled water until it breaks up. Discard seeds, keeping as much of the pulp as possible.
• Toast cumin, coriander, mustard, allspice, cloves, and fennel in a dry pan.

• Grind the spices; add turmeric and paprika.

• Blend garlic, ginger, chillis, vinegar, and a little water to make a paste.
• Fry celery and onions in a little oil (I use groundnut oil) over a high heat until they begin to brown.
• Add fried onions to paste; add enough water to cover. Blend briefly to make a chunky paste.
• Put everything except the fish in a pan, bring to boil, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add the fish, and cook for a few minutes until done.