serves
4-6
prep
5 minutes
cook
35 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4-6
people
preparation
5
minutes
cooking
35
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced crosswise into 6 mm (¼ inch) rings
- 1 cup (16 g) roughly chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves and stems
- ½ cup (22 g) dill fronds, roughly chopped
- 1½ tbsp garlic paste
- 1½ tsp salt, or to taste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1½ tbsp tamarind paste
- 4 bird’s eye chillies, sliced lengthwise
- 2 mild dried red chillies
- 450 g (1 lb) white fish fillet, preferably pomfret or mackerel, cut into 2.5 to 4 cm (1½ to 2inch) pieces
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine 4 cups (960 ml) water, the onion, coriander (cilantro), dill, garlic paste, salt and turmeric and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the onion softens.
- Stir in the tamarind paste, bird’s eye chillies and dried chillies. Add the fish and let the soup cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
Note
I adapted this recipe from fisherfolk activist Fatima Majeed. She traditionally recommends preparing it with pompano; however, any fatty white fish, such as mackerel, will work well.
Recipe from by Maryam Jillani (Hardie Grant Books, HB $55). Photography by Sanjeev Thakur, Waleed Anwar and Insiya Syed.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
