Jamaican Curried Red Snapper with Coconut and Lime

[Irene]

Jamaican curried snapper with coconut and lime

 

Preparation time:  less than 30 mins

Cooking time:  30 mins to 1 hour

Serves:  Serves 4

 

Don't be alarmed at the long list of spice ingredients - the mix can be made in advance to smooth preparations. The taste is incomparable to a ready-made paste!

 

Ingredients

For the snapper

• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• ½tsp cayenne pepper
• ½tsp ground turmeric
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 40g/1½oz butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 tsp light brown soft sugar
• 1 x 200g/7oz can chopped tomatoes
• 1 lime, juice only
• 1 x 400ml/14fl oz. can of coconut milk
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 x 225g/8oz pieces red snapper fillet
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

For the pilau

• 350g/12 oz. basmati rice
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 4 cloves
• 4 green cardamom pods, cracked
• 5cm/2in piece cinnamon stick
• bay leaf
• 600ml/1 pint boiling water
• ½ tsp salt

 

 

Method

1.     For the curried snapper, grind the whole spices into a powder using a pestle and mortar or mini food blender and mix with the cayenne pepper and turmeric.

2.     Heat the oil and butter in large shallow pan. Add the onion and fry gently until soft and just beginning to brown.

3.     Add the garlic, ginger, sugar and spice mix and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

4.     Add the tomatoes, lime juice, coconut milk, bay leaves and some salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until slightly thickened.

5.     Add the snapper fillets, skin-side down, and spoon some of the sauce over them. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, carefully turning the fish over halfway through. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

6.     For the pilau, wash the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs relatively clear. Cover with more cold water and leave to soak for seven minutes, then drain well.

7.     Heat the sunflower oil in a 20cm(8in) heavy-bottomed pan, add the cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and bay leaf and cook gently over a low heat for 2-3 minutes until they start to smell aromatic.

8.     Stir in the rice, add the boiling water and salt and quickly bring to the boil. Stir once, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over a low heat for 12 minutes.

9.     Uncover and fluff up the grains with a fork.

[Gandalph]

Gawd, I think I will stay with Fish and Chips with Mushy Peas thank you. 

[Irene]

It was delicious.  The coconut tempered it into my radar of acceptance.  

[andsome]

Sounds good but rather fiddly.

[Irene]

Not as much as you imagine.  ?