Balti Fish Curry

Longtime readers of this blog will tell you that Mexican and Indian are definitely 2 of my very favorite foods. I am confident that I could live a happy life eating anything from either of these 2 wonderful cuisines.

My local Wegmans was having a sale on catfish this past weekend. Although I usually gravitate towards tilapia or salmon in the Seafood department, the price was almost too good to pass up. I grabbed a few filets without really thinking through what I wanted to do.

I recently checked a book, 660 Curries, out of my local library. I must admit that I have yet to crack the cover, but the idea of some sort of curried fish immediately sprang into my mind. I started pulling out things I thought would be lovely in curry - fresh ginger, garlic, onion, crushed tomatoes, and cilantro. I also found a lone can of coconut milk and added that to the pile.

Out of that pile, this recipe was born. It's easy and relatively quick. You could literally have this recipe on the table in about 30 minutes. And again, you're looking at another budget recipe, especially if most of this is already in your pantry. I guarantee this is a curry recipe you won't want to miss. And be sure to check out some of the other curry recipes in the main dish section.



Balti Fish Curry
Serves 4-6

1 pound catfish (or other firm-fleshed fish)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cups vidalia onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 serrano pepper, chopped (optional)
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1 (15 oz) can coconut milk
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped

Cut fish into 2" pieces. Set aside. In large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger, and saute for 2 minutes. Add serrano pepper, curry powder, paprika, cumin, and salt. Stir and saute for another 2 minutes. Add contents of tomato can and stir well. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat, leave uncovered, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add coconut milk, stir well, increase heat, and bring back to a boil. Add fish and stir. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until fish is cooked through. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Serve over basmati rice and enjoy!