Kokum-crusted halibut with mussel rasam and pak choi
Rasam – a sweet, sour, spiced southern Indian stock – forms the base of this incredible dish from acclaimed chef Vivek Singh. Topped with a meaty piece of halibut marinated with kokum berries (which gives it a characteristically Keralan fruity, sour tang), fresh mussels and stir-fried pak choi, this is a recipe which showcases some lesser-known flavours from the south of the country.
First published in 2021
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Halibut
- 4 halibut steaks, or darnes, weighing approx. 150g each
- 50g of kokum, washed and finely sliced
- 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, plus extra for frying
- 1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 knob of ginger, 0.5 inches long, chopped
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp of coriander leaves, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
Rasam
- 2 tbsp of sunflower oil
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 knob of ginger, 0.5 inches long, crushed
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- 6 tomatoes, medium in size, halved
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tbsp of tamarind pulp
- 400ml of hot water
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
- 30g of coriander root, cleaned
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp caster sugar
- 200g of mussels, cleaned
- 1 tbsp of coriander leaves, chopped
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
Pak choi
- 2 pak choi, halved lengthways
- 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
To serve
- 2 sprigs of curry leaves
- vegetable oil, for frying
SAVE RECIPE
Method
1
Place the halibut fillets in a container and mix together the rest of the ingredients. Use the mixture to marinate the fish and set aside for 20 minutes
- 4 halibut steaks, or darnes, weighing approx. 150g each
- 50g of kokum, washed and finely sliced
- 1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 knob of ginger, 0.5 inches long, chopped
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp of coriander leaves, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, plus extra for frying
2
For the rasam, heat the oil in a deep saucepan and add the crushed garlic and ginger. Sauté for 1 minute, then add the asafoetida and curry leaves. Tip in the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until they soften. Add the turmeric, chilli powder and tamarind and cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the water, crushed pepper and cumin and coriander roots and simmer for 20 minutes over a low heat. Meanwhile, preheat an oven to 200°C/gas mark 6
- 2 tbsp of sunflower oil
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 knob of ginger, 0.5 inches long, crushed
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- 6 tomatoes, medium in size, halved
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tbsp of tamarind pulp
- 400ml of hot water
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
- 30g of coriander root, cleaned
3
After 20 minutes, remove the rasam from the heat and strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Add the salt and sugar to the liquid, then bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover and simmer for a few minutes until they begin to open up. Add the chopped coriander and lemon juice and remove from the heat
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp caster sugar
- 200g of mussels, cleaned
- 1 tbsp of coriander leaves, chopped
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
4
Place a frying pan over a high heat. Add a few tablespoons of oil and then the fish, cooking for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to the oven to finish cooking through for 3-4 minutes
5
For the pak choi, heat the oil in a frying pan and add the garlic, chilli flakes and cumin, followed by the pak choi. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then sprinkle in some water and a pinch of salt. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for a few minutes until cooked through
- 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 pak choi, halved lengthways
6
Place a small saucepan over a high heat and add a generous amount of vegetable oil. Add the curry leaves and fry for around 5 seconds, until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 sprigs of curry leaves
7
To serve, divide the mussel rasam between serving bowls and place a halibut steak on top. Sprinkle the fried curry leaves on top and serve with the pak choi alongside
First published in 2021
Get in touch
Please sign in or register to send a comment to Great British Chefs.
You may also like
SITES
© Great British Chefs 2025