A slightly Goan fish curry.

by Mel Williams
(Wales)

This recipe is the one we use at home when we want to stir memories of the delicious beach-shack food we ate in Goa. It's not entirely authentic (it should use tamarind, for example), but we enjoy it. The dish is quite hot, but not as hot as it should be.

2 good-sized mackerel, cleaned and without heads and fins/tail
ground turmeric
salt
black pepper
lemon juice
a small quantity of feni if you can get it. If not, use vodka

Cut the fish into generous chunks and rub with the above ingredients. Leave to marinate in the cool for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, grind, or blend together:
1 inch round of fresh ginger *chopped up)
4 - 6 cloves of garlic
3 fresh green chillies (or adjust to your taste)
a teaspoon of cumin powder
2 teaspoons of garam masala
the juice of a lime
1 sachet of creamed coconut (or use fresh coconut if you prefer)
Enough liquid (mango juice, for example)so that the ground ingredients make a thick, pourable paste.

Chop a large onion and 2 garlic cloves and gently fry in oil with a level tspn of cumin seeds until they are golden. Add 4 - 6 chopped dried red chillies and fry a little more. Now add the paste you have made and also the flesh from a fresh mango. Simmer for a little and then add the fish pieces.
At this stage also add a few teflam pods if you can get them (if not, use Szechuan pepper corn).
Simmer gently until the fish is cooked but not broken apart.
Stir in fresh, chopped coriander leaves a moment or two before serving.
Adjust for seasoning to your taste.
The curry should have plenty of juice so that you can eat it with boiled rice or parathas.