Fish & lentil curry Machali aur daal

Ingredients

2 tablespoons rapeseed oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 large red onion, finely chopped

2.5cm (1 inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon chilli powder

150g (5½oz) masoor dal (split red lentils)

400ml (14fl oz) can coconut milk

100ml (3½fl oz) boiling water

400g (14oz) skinless hake fillet or any firm white fish, cut into pieces 7.5cm (3 inches) long

chopped chives, to serve

Directions

Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened and starting to change colour. Then add the ginger and cook for a minute.

Add the tomatoes and cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes until they start to soften.

Stir in the salt and ground spices and then the lentils. Pour in the coconut milk followed by the measured boiling water. Cover and cook over a low to medium heat for 10 minutes until the lentils are soft.

Place the fish pieces in the lentils, cover again and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until the fish is just cooked through.

Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve.

Notes

Fish in any curry is delicious but when cooked with lentils it makes for a wonderfully creamy and hearty dish. I asked my fishmonger which fish he suggested I cook in this curry and he gave me this lovely hake. It worked a treat, but any other firm white fish fillet would be lovely. Serve with Spinach Onion Pulao or plain rice.