Mauritian fish curry (Cari Poisson)

by Selina Periampillai
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4
45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 fish fillets, or steaks
  • 1 aubergine, cut into strips or batons
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste, heaped
  • 1 tbsp of thyme leaves, fresh or dried
  • 6 curry leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 3 tbsp of curry powder, Mauritian or mild. Mauritian curry powder is available in specialist shops.
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tbsp of coriander leaves, chopped
  • 2 tbsp of spring onions, finely chopped
  • water
  • vegetable oil, for frying the fish and for cooking
  • 3 tbsp of cornflour

Method

1
Clean, scale and cut fish into slices or steaks and wash thoroughly. (You can get this step done by your fishmonger)
2
Pat fish dry, season with salt and pepper then coat in your corn flour evenly, fry in a pan with vegetable oil on medium heat till they turn to a golden brown colour
3
Drain the fried fish slices on a paper towel to remove all the excess oil and put aside
4
Season the aubergine with some salt and pepper then fry in the same oil, drain the fried aubergine on a paper towel and put aside
5
In the same pan, add more oil if needed, and on a medium heat add in your sliced onions, thyme leaves, curry leaves and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add in the garlic and ginger paste, give it a stir
6
Mix the curry powder, tumeric, cinnamon, cumin and coriander with a little warm water so that it forms a paste and add to the pan and stir well
7
Add the chopped tomatoes in and 50ml of water to start cooking the sauce, cover and cook on medium heat till tomatoes are done (progressively add 100ml of water in intervals if the sauce starts to dry out) at this stage taste for seasoning and add salt to taste
8
The sauce should be creamy in texture, add in the fried fish with the aubergine and add warm water to preferred consistency if needed, then let is simmer for a few minutes, take care not to move the fish around too much or it will break
9
Turn off the flame and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with coriander leaves and spring onions and serve with basmati rice, faratas and pickles or chutneys the Mauritian way!