Today's recipe is really one from the heart, 100 percent my own creation. This is the second time I've made this dish, and both times, I tasted as I went along and adjusted the ingredient levels. It's a great example of what can come out of spontaneous creation in the kitchen. If you follow this recipe, I suggest you do the same.
The basic idea is a play on the tikka masala - a tomato and dairy based sauce with chunks of meat. Here I've gone with skim milk, which lends itself to a mouthfeel more sympathetic to a light fish like tilapia, rather than the traditional rich, silky cream sauce. Just a little half and half goes a long way to give my sauce a touch of creaminess. Lemon juice and white fish are old friends in food, and this addition gives a little edge to the sauce as well as calling to mind that familiar combination.
Fish
- 2 large Tilapia fillets
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Paprika
Sauce
- 1 onion
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tbs canola oil (or ghee)
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup crushed tomato
- 1 cup diced tomato with juice
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1/2 cup half and half
Instructions
Season the Tilapia on both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika. A light dusting is sufficient. On medium-high heat, sear the fillets for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
Heat canola oil in the pan on medium-high. Note that for a more traditional Indian style, you could use ghee instead. Slice the onion into strips and mince garlic. Add all the spices to oil, followed by the onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Saute everything for several minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and lightly browned.
Slice the lemon in half and squeeze all the juice in. Add crushed and diced tomatoes, skim milk, and half and half. Mix together thoroughly. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. Taste the sauce and salt to taste. I added just a little bit to bring it all together. Break up the fish into smaller pieces and add to the sauce. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
Serve over steamed basmati rice. This curry pairs well with almost any drink. I went with a Warsteiner Dunkel - a Bavarian style dark lager. Just remember James Bond's advice and avoid the chianti.
Taht's right, Mr. Bond, no Chianti with fish, especially not the red kind. Sounds like a delicious curry. Using skim-milk in a dish with a lot of acidity (lemon juice and tomatoes) is risky due to potential curdling. You displayed skills that it did not happen to you. You are right to make sure there is the half & half. Adding that before the skim milk goes in will help to guard against curdling of the milk potein by the acidity in this dish. My wine advice will be an off-dry German Riesling or even a slightly sweet Gewurztraminer (one from Alsace). The Wildcat Creek Traminette or their Riesling will both be good wine with this dish, if you want to drink local. Wildcat Creek Winery is located in Lafayette. Traminette is the official wine grape of Indiana. It makes a flowery and aromatic white wine with a touch of sweetness that will balance the acidity and spices of the fish curry well. A votre santé!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like an excellent invention. Now I just have to convince Klein to eat fish... On the topic of curdling, do you remember when Peter tried to make a Bailey's-and-lemonade? It was gross.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds terrible. Peter is so... young sometimes :D
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