Authors: Hari Nayak

Easy Indian Cooking (23 page)

BOOK: Easy Indian Cooking

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grilled sea bass with coriander chipotle ketchup

Serves
6
Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
10 minutes

This one’s a summer favorite. The coconut milk provides a lovely mild sweetness along with the spices that have been used as marinade. The canned chipotle is usually found as "chipotles in adobo sauce" in the market. Serve with a fresh summer salad.

2 tablespoons coconut milk

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons malt vinegar

2 teaspoons ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground clove

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground paprika

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon oil, plus more for brushing grill grate

2 lbs (1 kg) sea bass fillets (or other firm-fleshed fish such as tilapia or salmon), about 1 in (2.5 cm) thick, cut into 2-in (5-cm) pieces

Lemon wedges, for garnish

Coriander Chipotle Ketchup

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 small onion, chopped

½ tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

3 oz (85 g) canned chipotle chili peppers, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

1
Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl, except the fish and lemon wedges.

2
Add the fish and gently mix, making sure all the pieces are well-coated. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

3
While the fish is marinating, make the Coriander Chipotle Ketchup. Combine the tomatoes, onions, garlic, tomato paste, vinegar, chipotle chili, cumin and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring until the liquid is reduced and thick, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool before serving.

4
Preheat the grill to medium-high (375°F/190°C) or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the grill or grill pan with oil to prevent the fish from sticking to the grill.

5
Place the marinated pieces on the grill and cook, turning once or twice, until the fish is opaque and just flaky inside, and lightly charred on the outside, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve hot with lemon wedges and Coriander Chipotle Ketchup.

roasted red snapper with fresh green chili cilantro pesto

Serves
6 (makes about 1 cup/300 g pesto)
Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
45 minutes

You can substitute any other whole firm-fleshed fresh fish. The pesto can be made ahead, making this a good dish for entertaining. This recipe will feed four when served with rice and a vegetable dish.

1 whole red snapper, about 2 to 2½ lbs (1 to 1.25 kg), cleaned and scaled

½ cup (125 ml) fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon grated lime zest

2 tablespoons oil

Salt, to taste

1 cup (180 g) Green Chili Cilantro

Pesto, plus extra for serving (recipe follows)

Green Chili Cilantro Pesto

2 cups (80 g) chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

6 fresh green chili peppers, deseeded and minced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons water

1 cup (100 g) fresh or frozen grated coconut

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and coarsely ground

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt, to taste

1
To make the Green Chili Cilantro Pesto, place the fresh coriander, chili peppers, garlic, ginger and water in a food processor and process to a paste. Add the coconut and process to incorporate. Transfer to a bowl. Add the coarsely ground cumin.

2
Stir in the lime juice, sugar and salt. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. The pesto can be refrigerated for about 4 days in a well-sealed container.

3
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

4
Score the skin of the fish in a diamond pattern.

5
Combine the lime juice, lime zest, 1 tablespoon of the oil and salt in a shallow pan.

6
Place the fish in the pan and rub it all over with the lime mixture.

7
Rub 1 cup of the pesto mixture into the slits and put the remainder in the fish’s cavity. Lay the fish on the sheet of aluminum foil, pour the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over the fish and spread it evenly over the top of the fish.

8
Lightly coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Wrap the aluminum foil fairly tightly around the fish: Use another piece of foil if necessary to ensure that the package is well sealed. Place it in the prepared baking dish.

9
Bake for about 30 minutes; the exact cooking time will depend on the size of the fish. To test, peel back the foil a little and press on the flesh at the thickest part of the fish. It should yield a little and feel soft. You can also unwrap more of the fish and test with a fork: if it flakes, it's cooked.

10
Serve the fish warm on a platter, with extra pesto alongside as a condiment. Serve by lifting sections of the top fillet off the bone; when the first side is finished, flip the fish over to serve the second fillet. Drizzle all excess pan juices on top of the fish.

pan-braised fish with lemon and rosemary

Serves
6
Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
10 minutes

Lemon and rosemary infused in butter smell and taste wonderful! It’s that heavenly combination that inspires this dish. Using any firm fish available in the market, this is a very simple-to-make yet flavorful main course. Serve it alongside a portion of rice. My friends like when I serve it with Stir-Fried Mushroom and Vegetable Pilaf (page 79), but you can always serve it with a simple side of buttered basmati rice.