Asma Khan, who runs London’s Darjeeling Express restaurant, is a natural-born teacher. The Calcutta-raised chef’s cookbook Asma’s Indian Kitchen (Interlink/Thomas Allen, $43.95) contains more than 80 flavour-packed recipes, and begins with tips about the proper way to fry onions, chop chilies, roast spices and make your own garam masala seasoning. Dishes range from easy “feasts for two” to fancy “celebratory feasts.” Vegetarian recipes are plentiful, but you’ll also find peppy meat and fish dishes, plus condiments and desserts.
Macher Jhol (Bengali Fish Curry)
Serves 6
3 pounds (1.5 kg) skinless, boneless fish fillets such as cod or halibut
3 teaspoons (15 mL) salt
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) ground turmeric
6 tablespoons (90 mL) vegetable oil *
1 large onion, finely grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 piece ginger root, 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, crushed to a paste
1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground coriander
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (5 mL) cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons (45 mL) tomato paste
2 medium tomatoes, cubed
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) granulated sugar
Green chilies
Fresh coriander
* For extra flavour, substitute mustard oil, available in specialty shops. Start by heating it until smoking hot to remove bitterness, then reduce heat to medium-high.
Cut fish into 12 equal pieces. Mix 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt with 1 teaspoon (5 mL) turmeric and rub mixture all over fish. Let stand 30 minutes.
In a frying pan, heat 5 tablespoons (75 mL) oil over medium-high heat and sear fish on both sides just until golden, not cooked through. Transfer fish to a plate and let stand.
Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat and cook onion, garlic and ginger, stirring, for two minutes. Then add the remaining 2 teaspoons (10 mL) salt, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) turmeric, the ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne, tomato paste and tomatoes. Stir in 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) warm water and cook for five minutes.
Keeping the pan on medium-high heat, let liquid reduce for 15 minutes, or until oil comes to the surface and seeps to the sides of the pan.
Gently return the fish to the pan and immerse in the sauce. To avoid the fish breaking up into flakes, use a pan large enough that the fish can cook in a single layer. Lower heat, add sugar and cook, covered, until the fillets are cooked through, no longer than five minutes.
Serve trimmed with chilies and fresh coriander.
By Julian Armstrong
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
