Fish/ Fish Head Curry

Ingredients

1 fish head/2 pieces of any type of fish/2 whole fishes
1 Brinjal cut into 4cm cubes
4 ladys Finger cut into 3 pieces
1 tomato cut into wedges
1/2 onion cut into wedges
3 tbsp fish curry powder mixed into paste
3 bowls of water
1 small stalk of curry leaf
2 tbsp oil/ghee
1 tbsp thick coconut milk

Method
1. Heat up oil in the pot and add in onion. Fry till fragrant, add in curry leaves and curry paste.
2. Fry the mixture for 1 min and add in water. Switch to strong fire.
3. Add in the brinjal and tomato.
4. When the water boil, add in the fish, then switch to medium flame.
5. After 5 mins, add in ladysfinger.
6. Simmer for another 10mins, add in salt to taste and 1 or 2 tbsp of thick coconut milk.
7. Mix the coconut milk well and switch it off. Serve with plain rice or Briyani rice.

Fish in coconut milk and tumeric

I have some left over coconut milk from making nasi lemak previously. So I decided to try to finish it up. Today for lunch, I tried making "Fish in coconut milk and tumeric". The recipe was picked up from a cooking show. It is rather easy to make and not spicy which is just right for serving up for a family with kids.

Ingredient

3 slices of Mackerel, ikan tengiri or any white fish

1 tomato cut into wedges

3 tbsp of packet coconut milk diluted with 1 cup of water

3 tbsp thick coconut milk

Half onion sliced

2 slices of ginger julienned

1 green chilli julienned

1 garlic chopped

1 small stalk curry leaves

2 tsp salt

2 tsp tumeric powder

2 tbsp oil/ghee

Method

1. Marinade fish with 1 tsp tumeric powder, 1 tsp salt, some chopped garlic and leave aside for 10mins.

2. Heat oil and fry onion, ginger, chilli, garlic and curry leaves.

3. Add diluted coconut milk and 1 tsp of tumeric powder and bring to a boil. Add fish and lower heat and cook for 10 mins.

4. When the fish is ready, add tomato and 1 tsp of salt.

5. Cook for another 3 mins and add thick coconut milk. Switch off the fire after another 2 mins.

A Little Indian Flavour

Feeling a little bit sick of the chinese food, so today made chicken briyani rice for dinner. The origin of Briyani Rice is said to be from the Indian army where the soldiers have to move from one place to another leaving no time for making meals. So they only have one main meal a day, which is dinner. The marinade chicken and rice layered on top of the chicken will be put in a pot. The pot will be tied to the side of an elephant together with a stove. By the time the army reach the camp site in the evening, the food will be ready.

The rice I am cooking is going to be the easy version. The original called for the rice to be cooked in a pot, but I will be using a rice cooker to save effort.

Briyani Rice

Ingredients
2 cups rice
Water or broth
4 cloves
4 cardamon
1/2 stick cinnamon
1/2 star anise
1 tsp tumeric power
1 tsp salt
half onion sliced
2 tbsp oil or ghee

Method

1. Heat the oil, fry the onion for 2 mins, then add in cloves, cardamon, cinnamon and star anise. Next add in the washed rice and mix the rice with the spices and onion.

2. Pour the well mixed rice and spices into the rice cooker and add water or broth to the 2 cups mark.

3. Add salt and tumeric powder then close the cover and cook rice.

4. You can add sultanas and cashew nut to the cooked rice too. As garnish you could add parsley and fried onion.

Briyani chicken

Ingredient

2 chicken legs

Half onion sliced

2 tbsp oil/ghee

Marinade

3 tbsp yogurt

1 tsp meat curry paste/garam masala

1 tsp salt

1/2 stick cinnamon

Method

1. Marinade chicken leg with marinade mixture for 1 hour.

2. Heat oil and fry onion until fragrant. Add cinammon stick and fry for another min.

3. Add the chicken and the rest of the marinade mixture and bring to boil then turn down to low fire and cook for half an hour.

4. Serve with the briyani rice.