Cape Malay Fish Curry

So far, a lot of the South African selections that I’ve cooked so far came from my friends’ suggestions, so this Cape Malay Fish Curry is my addition to the pot.

I remember before I went to Cape town, I expected very light, fresh fare that capitalized on the town’s proximity to the ocean since many a seaside town I’d visited before. I was wrong. What I found were very meaty dishes, or seafood ones that were much heavier than the broth-y soups I’ve made so far (the gumbo…the bouillabaisse) Not that it all wasn’t tasty, because oh-was it! I was just surprised and South Africa remains one of my most flavorful trips to date.

Unfortunately, it lives in my memory because before I could transfer my photos to Shutterfly or the like my hard drive crashed, they were deleted from my camera and so all I have is a few measly photos of sea lions that made it to Facebook unlike the rest.

Sigh. Shakes fist at technology

Anyway, when I found the recipe I used today for cape Malay curry, it wasn’t at all how I remembered it. This has the trademark sweet/savory mix of the bobotie and I remembered something more along the lines of a Thai coconut curry. No matter, I was quite satisfied with the switch. I bet coconut milk would be pretty tasty in this anyway. (Hmmm. Maybe next time I’ll make that addition and it’s definitely going to be made again…). Nevertheless, the tiny bit of yogurt made this a lot richer than the interesting suggested to me and was a great Lenten alternative to a peanut butter sandwich for lunch (not that there’s anything wrong with a PB&J. I love me some PB&J).

A note about the curry. Curry powder usually varies depending on the brand and origin and the kind you choose and can add a very different taste to a dish. Cape Malay curry powder distinguishes itself not from being hot like an Indian curry, but rather from combining, as I stated above, the sweetness of fruits and spices like cinnamon and savory flavors of turmeric and coriander. I used something called Maharajah Style curry powder that I bought here, which seemed to fit the bill, containing turmeric, ginger, cumin, cardamom, cloves, saffron, nutmeg and fennel, among others. It worked, so if you have the option to seek out some more specialized curry powder, look for one that is sweet and mild rather than hot.

February 15, 2013

Servings: 4

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 45 min

Total: 1 hr

Difficulty: Easy

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Spice up plain fish with this South African cape malay fish curry, packed with flavorful spices and served with a side of sweet, fragrant yellow rice

By: Chrissy

Ingredients

1-1 1/2 pounds skinned and boned white fish ( I used a combo of tilapia and swai), cut into chunks
Oil, for the pan
2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and crushed
1/2 TB cape malay curry powder**
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/2 cinamon stick
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup dried apricots, reconstituted in warm water
1 banana, sliced
1/2 can diced tomatoes (about 2 cup)
3 TB wine vinegar
1- 2 cups stock, depending on how liquid-y you want it
1 1/2 TB apricot jam
2 TB plain yogurt

Directions

Step 1 Heat some oil in a stock pot and cook the onions and garlic until about half-cooked and soft. Add the ginger and spices and finished cooking the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat.
Step 2 Add the vinegar and stock, plus all the other remaining ingredients (except the fish, jam and yogurt). Cover and gently simmer over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until everything is tender, approximately 45 minutes.
Step 3 Add the fish and simmer until the fish is cooked. Stir in the apricot jam and the yogurt just before serving.
Step 4 Serve this curry with yellow rice.