Optimum Nutrition - Winter 2021 - PREVIEW

World Cuisine
cooking techniques and spices that also
set them apart. For example, cooking
with fennel and black pepper in Tamil
cooking dates back centuries as both are
locally grown.
“When we think of Andhra Pradesh,
the misconception of the local food
being searingly hot couldn’t be [further]
from the truth. My favourites are the
Andhra lamb chops curry with tamarind
and ginger, from the lamb chapter in
Thali, and also an Andhra thali which
gives an insight into how the food from
this region is diverse, full of flavour and
simple to cook.”
KERALA FISH MOILEE (CLASSIC COCONUT FISH CURRY)
Maunika says:
“A classic fish curry with chilli, pepper,
curry leaves and turmeric simmered
in coconut milk, this southern Indian
fish curry is a staple in every household
because it is so simple to cook. I like to
serve it with rice and cucumber salad.
Ask your fishmonger to cut the fish into
steaks, as they will do it expertly and
ensure that the steaks still hold together
with the help of a central bone.”
Ingredients
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• Pinch of salt
• Juice of ½ lime
• 600g cod, monkfish or sea bass, cut
into 3.5cm steaks
• 60g white onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cm ginger root, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 5 green cardamom pods, whole
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthways
• 5–7 curry leaves
• 100ml water
• ½ tsp sugar
• Salt, to taste
• 400ml coconut milk
• 1 heaped tsp tamarind paste
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Coriander
For the garnish
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Method
Mix ½ tsp of the ground turmeric,
with the salt and lime juice, rub into
the fish steaks, then set aside. Add the
onion, ginger and garlic to a blender
and blend to a smooth fine paste with
a splash of water. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based, nonstick
saucepan over a medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds and as they
begin to sputter, work quickly to add
the cardamom pods, green chillies
and curry leaves. Add the onion,
ginger and garlic paste and fry for 1–2
mins, then add the remaining ground
turmeric, along with the water, sugar
and salt. Mix well, then simmer for 1
min.
Reduce the heat to low, then add
the fish steaks and let them cook for
a further minute. Add the coconut
milk, cover and simmer gently for
4–5 mins until the fish is moist and
cooked through. Give the pan a gentle
swirl a couple of times to make sure
everything is mixed but the fish pieces
don’t break up.
Add the tamarind, black pepper
and fresh coriander and stir well,
simmering for 1 min. Serve with plain
basmati rice and a cucumber salad.
Optimum Nutrition tip:
Try using ghee or coconut oil instead
of vegetable oil, and swap white rice
for wholegrain or cauliflower rice.
How important is nutrition when
serving a thali?
“A lot of what gets served over a thali
includes pulses, grains, dairy and even
fresh fruit — ingredients that are high
in protein, carbohydrates and rich in
vitamins…
“Thalis are a complete meal
experience and brimming with
vegetables, lentils, wholemeal breads and
aromatic curries that bring warmth and
flavour to our meals.”
Recipe reproduced with
kind permission.
Extracted from Thali by
Maunika Gowardhan,
Hardie Grant Books.
OPTIMUM NUTRITION | WINTER 2021/22
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