Alu Kopi Katla Jhol / Spicy Fish & Cauliflower Curry | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae
- Yield: 4-5 generous servings.
- Time Estimate: 4 hours, including 3 unattended.
- Storage Notes: Can be kept, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
- Difficulty: Easy.
Not much is more comforting than a hearty curry: rich and buttery, spicy and savory, tangy and piquant, loaded with different flavors and textures in each bite. This fish and cauliflower curry ticks all the right boxes, and we love that most of the work is done in the oven by your tajine or dutch oven, freeing you up to relax until you're ready to serve. Make sure to pop some naan bread in oven for a few minutes before before plating everything - if you're anything like us, you'll be mopping the plate clean.
Ingredients
- 1 Head Cauliflower
- 4-5 Fillets of a Flaky, white fish (we used cod in this recipe)
- 1 Large Potato
- 2 Tbs Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Large White onion
- 10 Cloves of Garlic
- 3 Tbs Spicy Red Curry Seasoning
- 2 1/2 Cups Chicken broth (homemade is best, if using store-bought, go for low sodium)
- 3 Tbs Indian Tandoori Sea Salt
- 3 Tbs Turmeric Powder
- 1 Bunch fresh Cilantro/coriander
- 1 1/2 Cups Jasmine rice
- 4-5 Small naan breads or pieces
- 12 oz Ghee
- 3 Eggs
- 1 14 oz Can Coconut milk
- 2 Small Limes
- 2 Habanero peppers
- 1 5.5 oz Can Tomato paste
- 1/2 Cup Flour
- 2 Cups Panko crumbs
- A bit of basil for garnish
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Remove stem from cauliflower, and cut into florets of roughly the same size, about 1"x1", and reserve.
- Peel potato, cube into 1"x1" chunks, and reserve.
- Rinse and pat dry fillets, and reserve.
- Finely mince garlic and onion, and reserve.
- Prep your breading station: arrange three bowls side by side, one each with flour, beaten eggs, and panko crumbs.
- With a moistened hand, coat fillets one at a time in flour, then dip in the egg wash, shaking off any excess, then coat with panko, and reserve on a plate, repeating the process with the remaining fillets.
- Repeat this process with the cauliflower, and simply dust the slightly moistened potato chunks, and reserve.
- Bring a large cast iron pan up to high heat, and melt 1/3rd of the ghee.
- Add in minced onion and garlic, season with Indian Tandoori Sea Salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes.
- Pour into your tajine or dutch oven, and return pan to heat, deglazing with 2 Tbs of water, then adding the remainder of the ghee.
- Shallow fry fish, cooking each side for about 3 minutes, until golden brown, then remove to a cooling rack with a paper towel underneith to catch any oil drips.
- Shallow fry cauliflower, working in 2-3 batches, cooking each for 3-4 minutes and turning once. Repeat with potato chunks.
- In your tajine or dutch oven, add chicken stock, tomato paste, Spicy Red Curry Seasoning, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Turmeric Powder, coconut milk, juice of 2 limes, finely minced habanero (removing seeds if you don't want to blow your guests heads off!), and mix well to combine.
- Fold in cauliflower and potatoes, and top with fish fillets.
- Cover your tajine or slow cooker, and pop in the oven for 3 hours.
- Rinse rice, and cook per your rice cooker's directions.
- Mince cilantro/coriander, cover, and reserve.
- Go about your business - enjoy a glass of wine with your guests, play with your kids, read a magazine, whatever, the hard stuff is done, now it's the oven's turn to put the work in.
- At around the 2:50 mark, pop the naan in the oven and set the table.
- Plate the rice and remove the tajine/dutch oven from the oven.
- Plate the fillets, cover with curry, sprinkle on a bit of the minced cilantro, and wedge in a couple pieces of naan.
- Serve and devour - you may want to have a bit of sour cream on the table to temper the heat depending on how much habanero went in.