Scallops in a Spinach–Tomato Curry Sauce
This dish may be eaten with rice or, oddly enough, with noodles. It is superb for entertaining. You could, if you like, make it with prawns.
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon grainy French mustard
- vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon black or yellow mustard seeds
- 3 –4 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 1 cm ½in piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 150 ml 5fl oz tinned chopped tomatoes
- 100 g 4 oz fresh spinach, cut crossways into fine strips
- 550 g 1¼lb whole raw scallops
- 120 ml 4fl oz tinned coconut milk, stirred, or single cream
Instructions
- Step One Combine the chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, French mustard and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Mix.
- Step Two Put 3 tablespoons oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and set over high heat. When hot, put in the whole mustard seeds. As soon as they begin to pop – a matter of seconds – put in the garlic and ginger. Stir and fry until the garlic turns a light brown. Add the spice paste. Stir and fry for 15 seconds. Put in the tomatoes and spinach. Stir and cook for a minute. Add 250ml (8fl oz) water and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, on low heat for 10 minutes. Add the scallops. Turn the heat to high. Stir and cook until the scallops just turn opaque. This will happen quite fast. Add the coconut milk or cream and bring to a simmer. Stir and simmer for half a minute. Remove from the heat and serve.
