Zalm met mosterdzaad en curry blaadjes

Het vorige recept van Madhur Jaffrey met de varkenshaasjes vond ik wel lekker, dus probeerde ik ook dit recept van haar. Het viel me eigenlijk tegen, maar ik heb wel iets over curry bladeren geleerd:

Curry bladeren

Hoe te gebruiken?
De verse blaadjes van de steeltjes rissen en in matig hete olie of ghee bakken tot de geur vrijkomt. De blaadjes moeten gebakken worden, anders geven ze hun smaak niet af; tijdens het bakken in olie knettert het, en de kerrieblaadjes worden doorschijnend. Meestoven in een curry of in (Thaise) roerbakgerechten kan ook. Let op, de blaadjes gaan na aankoop erg snel achteruit: ze worden bruin, drogen uit en verliezen hun smaak. Eventueel vlak na aankoop in te vriezen.

Nu het recept:

Ingrediënten:

For marinating the fish:

2lb/900g skinless salmon fillet (ideally cut from the thicker end of the fillet)

¹/3 tsp cayenne pepper

¹/3 tsp ground turmeric

For the sauce:

3 tsp whole brown mustard seeds

1½ tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp curry powder (Jaffrey uses Bolst's hot curry powder, but any curry powder will do)

½ tsp cayenne pepper

6oz/180g tomatoes, coarsely grated (messy, but possible – the skins will be left in your hand)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp whole fennel seeds

15-20 fresh curry leaves or 6 bay leaves or fresh coriander

Bereiding:

1)      Cut the salmon into matchbox-sized pieces.

2)      Mix the cayenne and turmeric with ¹/3 tsp salt and rub the mixture into both sides of the fish. Put in a plastic bag or a covered dish and refrigerate for at least one, and up to six, hours.

3)      Now make the sauce. In a clean coffee grinder or mini food processor, grind 2½ tsp of the mustard seeds. (You could also do this with a pestle and mortar and lots of elbow grease, or even use mustard powder.) Put the ground mustard in a bowl with the coriander, cumin, turmeric, curry powder, cayenne, tomatoes, ¾ tsp salt and 4floz/110ml water. Mix well.

4)      Heat the oil in a wide, shallow pan (a deepish frying pan or sauté pan is ideal) over a medium-high heat. Add the remaining mustard seeds and as soon as they begin to pop add the fennel seeds. Stir and pour in the spice mixture and another 8floz/225ml water.

5)      Add the curry leaves, if you have them, or bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes. (At this point the sauce can be cooled and refrigerated for several hours.)

6)      To cook the fish, reheat the sauce (in the wide, shallow pan again) and lay the fish in it. It's important the fish cooks in a single layer, so if you are doubling the quantities, use two pans.

7)      Simmer for five minutes, then carefully turn the fish and cook for another 4-5 minutes until just about done.

8)      Scatter with coriander (if you aren't using curry or bay leaves) and serve with rice or naan.