Goan Fish Curry

Right now I should be waxing lyrical about the beauty and splendor of the garden, the abundance of japanese dwarf peas and little gem lettuces and ruby chard; the tomatoes laden with fruit and even the first sight of a dwarf  melon. However the monsoon is in full sway here and lighting peppers the horizon. The rain is unrelenting and steady and we are enveloped in cool dark clouds, reminiscent of the pacific northwest or maybe even India...
I was conceived in the monsoon, so the rain is in my heart.
Today I am back in India,at least in my kitchen.....
After some sweet spiced chai, and fried plantains to start, I progressed onto a Goan fish curry.
I would have posted a picture of the golden sauce surrounding an island of Basmati rice, but there wasn't really an hiatus between pan, plate and belly, so you'll just have to take my word for the fact that this is sublime..

So here goes.

You will need spices
1 heaped teaspoon coriander powder
1 heaped teaspoon cumin powder
1 flat teaspoon tumeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper.
1 thumb of ginger (peeled)
3 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of tamarind (paste or concentrate)
3 thai green chillies
3 guajillo (or other red chilly like a birds eye)
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
7-8 peppercorns

3- 4 fillets of a white fish halibut or even humble tilapia serves well.
1 cup of white basmati rice.
1 can of organic coconut milk ( never buy the lite version, it is awful)
1/2 cup of dessicated coconut
Salt

For the curry put all the spices the coconut milk and coconut into a blender
and liquidize.

Get a large frying pan pour in the sauce and heat .
Add half a cup of water and bring to the boil
add the fish and let the fish cook in the bubbling sauce
Add salt to taste.

At Altitude Basmati Rice should be cooked with a 2:1 water to rice ratio.
(At sea level its 1.5:1)
Wash the rice first till it runs clear, add water, bring to boil, as soon as it boils
bring it to a low heat and let it simmer still covered.
When all the water has been absorbed your rice should be done. ( If it isn't just add a tiny bit of water)
and wait a few minutes more.

Serve rice in a little island surrounded by curry and fish garnished with fresh cilantro.
Have a monsoon Raga playing and imagine the coconut trees, paddy fields and the glorious rain...

Namaste.