Main Meals

Curried fish with dhal

4 to 6
Easy
30 minutes
40 minutes
Wine/Spirit Pairing
Villiera Rhine Riesling 2008

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Ingredients

Method
  • 500 g dorado, yellowtail or hake
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 T sunflower oil
  • 2–3 T curry paste
  • 1 x 400 g can chopped tomatoes
  • a handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
  • a handful of baby spinach leaves
  • basmati rice, steamed, for serving
  • ready-prepared onion sprinkles, for serving
  • thick yoghurt, for serving
  • sweet chutney, for serving
  • For the dhal:

  • 250 g red lentils
  • 2 T sunflower oil
  • 1 t mustard seeds
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 x 5 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 t garam masala
  • 1 t turmeric
  • 2 fresh chillies, chopped
  • 1 t salt

Wash the fish and sprinkle with sea salt, to taste. Set aside.
In a wide pan, heat the oil and stir in the curry paste. Fry until fragrant.
Stir in the tomato and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Cut the fish into chunks and add to the sauce, along with half the coriander and a squeeze of lime or lemon juice.
Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 10 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked.
Add the spinach, re-cover and leave for a few minutes until wilted. Stir in the remaining coriander.
Check seasoning and add more lime or lemon juice, if needed.
Serve with dhal, hot steamed rice with onion sprinkles, thick yoghurt and sweet chutney.

To make the dhal:
Wash the lentils and drain. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Fry for a minute, or until they start to pop.
Add the onion and cook very gently until pale golden and soft. Stir in the garlic and ginger, then the spices, until fragrant.
Add the lentils, chilli, salt and 2 cups water, or enough to cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, or  until the lentils are tender andreduced to a sauce (if the mixture is too thick, dilute it with boiling water). Check seasoning.

Per serving: 1551.4 kJ, 24.2 g protein, 14.2 g fat, 38.3 g carbs

TASTE’s take:
The texture of dorado works so well in this recipe. Yellowtail would be good too, and I’d even use hake if that’s the catch of the day.

Phillippa Cheifitz

Recipe by: Phillippa Cheifitz

Regular TASTE contributor Phillippa is a well-known South African author and food writer, and has won many awards, both for her magazine features and her cookbooks.

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