Title: South: Malabar Fish Poached in Coconut Milk
Categories: Indian, Fish
Yield: 2 Servings

Stephen Ceideburg
4 Fish filets (red snapper,
-sole, bass or whitefish) *
2 tb Fresh lemon juice
1/2 ts Salt, or to taste
1/2 ts Freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 tb Mild vegetable oil
1 tb Dried curry leaves (or 8
-fresh curry leaves), or
-minced cilantro
1 c Chopped onion
2 ts Grated fresh ginger
1 Or 2 fresh serrano chiles,
-stemmed, seeded, minced
1/4 ts Turmeric
1/2 ts Ground cumin
2 tb Unsweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 c Coconut milk

* 1/2-inch thick and about 5-1/2 ounces each

This simple classic from the coastal region of southern India makes an
elegant entree for a fancy dinner.

Place fish in a shallow dish and rub well with lemon juice. Sprinkle with
salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add
fish and cook until just opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Remove with a
slotted spoon and set aside.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan. Add curry leaves, onion,
ginger, chiles and turmeric. Cook until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add
cumin, coconut and coconut milk. Cook, uncovered, until sauce is slightly
thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Gently slip in fish filets, cook 1 or 2 minutes and
remove from heat.

Transfer fish to a heated platter. Spoon sauce over and serve.

Note: Dried or fresh curry leaves are available at Indian grocery stores.

PER SERVING: 920 calories, 69 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 67 g fat (43 g
saturated), 115 mg cholesterol, 762 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.

Laxmi Hiremath writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 6/24/93.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini