Goan Fish Curry

The first beach experience for me was Goa in India and it was a love at first sight. I have been to many other beach destinations thereon but there is no other place which matches the enigma of Goa. Calm, serene, peace, tranquility, hospitality, fun and frolic, there are hardly any adjectives which can be left behind to describe this perfect holiday destination. The best part is that it fits every budget and even a pauper can afford a dream Goan holiday. And no, before you think that this post is sponsored by Goa Tourism Board, this post is about one of my absolute favourite dish from the Goan cuisine. The Goan Fish Curry is a highly irresistible fish curry served with hot steaming rice. The fish generally used is either prawns or pomfret or any other boneless sea fish. I have used here a Boneless white fish fillet, quite similar to the White Snapper. The curry was a perfect balance of all the flavors, the tang from the tamarind, the heat from the chillies, and the creaminess from the coconut. The best part about this gravy is it is absolutely easy to prepare and needs  only a few ingredients. If you love Goa and you love their cuisine, this recipe is a must try!

Ingredients 

450 gms fish (I used boneless white fish fillet; you can also use either pomfret or prawns or any other similar sea fish)

1 medium onion finely sliced

4 cloves garlic chopped 

1 tsp cumin seeds 

1 tbsp coriander seeds

7-8 kashmiri whole red chillies 

1 cup or 200 ml coconut cream (I diluted this with 1/2 cup water; you can directly use 1 1/2 cup coconut milk)

2 tsp tamarind paste (you may need a little more later at the final stage while adjusting the seasoning)

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt for marinating the fish as well as for gravy

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp oil

Direction 

Wash and clean the fish and marinate with salt and lemon juice and keep aside. 

Dry roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and whole red chillies and grind to a fine paste along with the garlic and little water. Now heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till soft and translucent. Add the spice paste and stir well. Add the turmeric powder and mix. Keep stirring continuously until the base mixture is well fried and blended. Take care not to burn it though. Now add the tamarind paste and stir followed by the coconut cream and water mixture or coconut milk. Give a good stir and bring to a boil. Now simmer the flame and add the marinated fish. Do not add the marinade as it might make the gravy too sour. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until the fish is cooked. Add salt as per taste and slit green chillies. You can adjust the tanginess of the curry now by adding more tamarind. It is important not to add the entire paste at one go as the consistency of the tamarind paste can be different and so also the tang. You can also adjust the thickness of the gravy now by adding or reducing the water. This is a very forgiving recipe and you can make adjustments at any point in time. Serve hot with steamed rice and enjoy this Goan delicacy!!

Goan Paneer Curry

Everything about Goa is special. The food, the beaches, the people, the drinks, and in fact everything and anything about it. I simply love this place and when we were in India, this used to be one permanent holiday every year. While this place is famous for a number of goodies, when it comes to food nothing can beat the popular Goan Fish Curry. The chicken adaptation is also equally good but today I decided to give a vegetarian twist with this superbly yummy Paneer version. Although it does not have the special fishy flavors, but vegetarians do not prefer it anyway and today's recipe is especially for them to enjoy this much missed Goan Delicacy. Serve it with some steamed rice and enjoy this yummy Goan dish!

                                           

Ingredients

300 grams paneer

3 pieces of 1-inch cinnamon

3 pieces of cloves

1 tsp coriander seeds

4-5 black peppercorns

1 tsp poppy seeds

10 whole red chillies

1/2 coconut grated 

2 onions, directly roasted on stove top until skin charred

4 big garlic cloves or 5 medium

1 tsp garam masala

6 tbsp tomato puree

3 tbsp cream

1/2 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

2 tsp + 3 tbsp oil ( I used Olive Oil)

Direction

Heat 2 tsp oil and lightly roast the cinnamon, cloves, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and red chillies. Transfer to a coffee grinder or mixer and let it cool. In the same oil, fry the coconut until the raw smell disappears and slightly browned. Take care not to burn it. Add this to the grinder. Now, remove the charred skin of the stove-top roasted onions and chop. Add this to the grinder too. Lastly, add the garlic cloves and grind everything to a smooth paste using very little water. 

Now, heat another pan and add 2 tbsp oil and lightly fry the paneer pieces and keep aside. In the same oil, add the paste and fry for 3-5 minutes stirring continuously. Now add the puree, garam masala, salt, and sugar and fry till the mixture starts leaving oil from the sides. Add the fried paneer pieces and mix gently taking care not to break the pieces. Now add the cream and stir. Keep it covered for 3-5 minutes on liw flame. Check for seasoning and remove from heat. Serve hot with steamed rice.