This is one of the earliest memories I have of being absolutely astonished by flavour. My mum would normally cook this dish with whole pieces of fish, and sliced fish. None of this ‘easy fish’, as my dad likes to call it – it was always cooked with all the bones still in, to boost the flavour. We would spend a long time picking it apart to eat it, and placing the bones a safe distance away from our plates. Traditionally we’d eat it with our hands (it’s near enough impossible with cutlery).
Although it was delicious, these days there isn’t always time to sit at our plates for an hour, and since having my own kids I am the biggest fan of filleted fish. Granted, it imparts less flavour to this cod and clementine curry recipe – but the clementine peel well and truly makes up for that.
Ingredients:
– 5 tbsp olive oil
– 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
– ½ onion, diced
– 1 tbsp tomato purée
– 1 tsp fine sea salt
– 200ml water
– ½ tsp turmeric
– 1 tsp paprika
– 1 tsp ground cumin
– 2 clementines, peel only, sliced
– juice of 1 clementine
– 300g cod fillets
– a large handful of coriander, finely chopped
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a medium pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the crushed garlic and diced onion. Turn the heat down and cook gently until the onions are soft.
2. Add the tomato purée, salt and water. Cook for a further 5 minutes over a low heat.
3. Now add the turmeric, paprika and cumin, and cook gently for another 5 minutes. Keep adding small amounts of water if it starts to catch on the bottom.
4. Add the clementine peel and cook for 10 minutes, until the peel is soft and almost falling apart.
5. Use a potato masher to mash all the peel – breaking it up will intensify the flavour.
6. Add the fish, cover and cook for 10 minutes over a low heat.
7. Squeeze in the clementine juice. Once the fish is cooked, take the pan off the heat and sprinkle over the chopped coriander.
8. This dish is best eaten with hot basmati rice.
With chapters ranging from ‘Lazy Sunday Mornings’ to ‘Midnight Feasts’, ‘Snacks and Sharing’ to ‘Dessert for Dinner’, there’s a dish for any time of the day, for all of the family. Nadiya offers innovative twists on traditional classics and the perfect recipe for those staple meals and bakes, from fish finger butties to churros french toast.
Nadiya Hussain Nadiya Hussain