Kerala Fish Molee

Ingredients

• 600g firm white fish fillets, such as kingfish, seabass or halibut, cut into large pieces
• 1/2 tsp turmeric, for the fish
• 1 tsp salt, for the fish
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, for the fish
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 20 fresh curry leaves
• 2 large onions, finely sliced
• 4 green chillies, slit lengthways
• 4cm piece ginger, cut into fine matchsticks
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 tsp turmeric, for the sauce
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 200ml thin coconut milk
• 200ml thick coconut milk
• 1 tomato, cut into wedges
• 1 tsp salt, for the sauce
• 1 tbsp white vinegar

Before you cook

• Rub the fish with the turmeric, salt and lemon juice and leave it for 15 minutes.
• Slice the onions and garlic, cut the ginger into matchsticks and slit the chillies.
• If using canned coconut milk, spoon off the thick cream for the thick milk and dilute the rest with water for the thin.

Steps

1. Heat the coconut oil in a wide shallow pan over a medium heat.
2. Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the curry leaves, then the onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic.
4. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are completely soft and translucent but still pale. Turn the heat down if they start to colour, because a molee should stay white.
5. Stir in the turmeric and black pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
6. Pour in the thin coconut milk, add the salt, and bring it to a bare simmer.
7. Slide the fish pieces into the sauce in a single layer and spoon a little sauce over each one.
8. Simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes, until the fish is just opaque through the middle. Shake the pan rather than stirring, so the fillets stay whole.
9. Add the tomato wedges and the vinegar and cook for 2 minutes.
10. Pour in the thick coconut milk and warm it through for 2 minutes without letting it boil, or it will split.
11. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt, then take the pan off the heat.
12. Rest the molee for 10 minutes and serve with appam or plain rice.