This dish is my take on refining traditional South Indian flavours- I think it works well. The dhal packs a fiery punch (though feel free to add less chili if you’re not one for spice) and the coconut in the cod’s crust works well with the sweetness of the fish. Finished off with some crunch from the crispy okra, I’d wolf this down any evening :).
Serve with rice if you like, but the dhal is starchy enough for this not to be totally required.
Inspired by a Vineet Bhatia recipe on Great British Chefs.
Serve with rice if you like, but the dhal is starchy enough for this not to be totally required.
Inspired by a Vineet Bhatia recipe on Great British Chefs.
Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 4):
For the Dhal:
140g red lentils
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp of garlic and ginger paste (or just minced garlic and ginger)
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp hot red chilli powder
1/2 white onion, diced
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the Okra:
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp hot red chilli powder
1/4 tsp chaat masala
1/2 tsp fenugreek
10 okra, ends trimmed off and thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
4 tbsp gram flour
vegetable oil
For the fish:
4 portions of cod
2 tbsp ginger
2 small onions
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cloves garlic
200g unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 small red chilli
1 small handful fresh coriander (stalks on)
1 tbsp corn starch
Sea salt and pepper.
Ingredients (Serves 4):
For the Dhal:
140g red lentils
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp of garlic and ginger paste (or just minced garlic and ginger)
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp hot red chilli powder
1/2 white onion, diced
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the Okra:
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp hot red chilli powder
1/4 tsp chaat masala
1/2 tsp fenugreek
10 okra, ends trimmed off and thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
4 tbsp gram flour
vegetable oil
For the fish:
4 portions of cod
2 tbsp ginger
2 small onions
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cloves garlic
200g unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 small red chilli
1 small handful fresh coriander (stalks on)
1 tbsp corn starch
Sea salt and pepper.
Method:
1. For the dhal: wash the lentils under cold water to remove excess starch. If your brand of lentils requires soaking (some do), then soak them for the required time. If not, cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the lentils are cooked through and soft, skimming off any foam/scum from the pan. Dependent on your lentil brand, circa. 30 minutes. Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the lentil water.
2. In a separate pan, heat the oil and sauté the cumin seeds, garlic, ginger and chilli until slightly frazzled, circa 2 minutes.
3. Add the onions, chili powder and turmeric and sauté until the onion has softened, around 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato, cook for 2 minutes and then pour into the lentils. Blend until smooth in a food processor and season with plenty of sea salt. If it’s looking a little thick, add about a cup of the lentil water, until it is smooth but with around the runniness of porridge. Place back on the heat and add the butter. Reheat when required.
4. Begin heating a pan of vegetable oil for the okra. While it is heating, prepare your fish.
5. For the fish, blend the crust ingredients and then layer on top of the cod fillets. Bake in an oven at 180 Celsius for around 30 minutes until cooked just through.
6. Whilst that is cooking, make your crispy okra: mix your spices and toss with the okra. Add the lemon juice and salt, then follow with the gram flour until it lightly coats the okra slices.
7. Deep fry in the vegetable oil until golden and crisp. Remove from the oil and blot the oil on kitchen paper.
8. Serve: spoon the daal on the plate first with the cod fillets on top, topped with the crispy okra. Enjoy.
1. For the dhal: wash the lentils under cold water to remove excess starch. If your brand of lentils requires soaking (some do), then soak them for the required time. If not, cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the lentils are cooked through and soft, skimming off any foam/scum from the pan. Dependent on your lentil brand, circa. 30 minutes. Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the lentil water.
2. In a separate pan, heat the oil and sauté the cumin seeds, garlic, ginger and chilli until slightly frazzled, circa 2 minutes.
3. Add the onions, chili powder and turmeric and sauté until the onion has softened, around 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato, cook for 2 minutes and then pour into the lentils. Blend until smooth in a food processor and season with plenty of sea salt. If it’s looking a little thick, add about a cup of the lentil water, until it is smooth but with around the runniness of porridge. Place back on the heat and add the butter. Reheat when required.
4. Begin heating a pan of vegetable oil for the okra. While it is heating, prepare your fish.
5. For the fish, blend the crust ingredients and then layer on top of the cod fillets. Bake in an oven at 180 Celsius for around 30 minutes until cooked just through.
6. Whilst that is cooking, make your crispy okra: mix your spices and toss with the okra. Add the lemon juice and salt, then follow with the gram flour until it lightly coats the okra slices.
7. Deep fry in the vegetable oil until golden and crisp. Remove from the oil and blot the oil on kitchen paper.
8. Serve: spoon the daal on the plate first with the cod fillets on top, topped with the crispy okra. Enjoy.
