Fish Fillets in a ‘Curry’ Sauce
Bland white sauces were anathema to the Indian cooks who presided over Anglo-Indian households, so they invariably added a few local seasonings in order to perk them up. Here is one such dish. You may use any fish fillets – cod, haddock and halibut – although fillets of dark, oily fish, such as blue fish and mackerel, are ideal. Get thick fillets if possible, and if the skin can be removed, so much the better
Ingredients
- 900 g 2lb thick fish fillet or fillets
- 500 ml 18fl oz milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- lots of freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 5 tablespoons breadcrumbs made from dried bread – home-made or store-bought
- 50 g 2oz unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons good curry powder
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped green coriander
- 2 –3 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Step One Arrange a shelf in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to its highest temperature. Spread the fish out in a somewhat deep dish. Combine the milk, salt, pepper, chilli powder and turmeric in a jug and pour over the fish. Set aside for 15 minutes. (Use this time to get all the remaining ingredients weighed, measured and chopped.) After the time is up, lift the fish out of the milk and dust both sides with the breadcrumbs, patting them on so that they adhere. Reserve the milk and put the fish in a shallow baking tray lined with foil. Dot with 25g (1oz) of the butter and bake for 15 minutes.
- Step Two While the fish bakes, set the milk to heat. Melt the remaining butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium–low heat. When it has melted and is bubbling, add the curry powder. Stir for a minute. Now add the flour. Stir for about 2 minutes. It should keep bubbling. Take the saucepan off the heat and, using a whisk, beat in the hot milk. Now put the saucepan on medium–high heat and stir with the whisk until the sauce comes to a boil. Boil for a minute, whisking all the time. Add the green coriander and lemon juice. Stir to mix them in. Put the fish on a serving plate or on individual plates. Pour the sauce over the top and serve immediately. Extra sauce, if there is any, may be served on the side
