Cauliflower Trout
Ingredients
1 trout (preferably the farmed kind from Idaho)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt (or less to suit your taste)
1 pea size ginger piece
2 cloves garlic
2 hot green chilies
5 curry leaves (optional)
1 tsp coriander leaves (cilantro)
2 tbl oil (canola, corn any kind will do)
2 tsp curry powder (the American version that you can buy in supermarket
spice section --- do not use Indian curry powder!)
5 flower lets of cauliflower (this about one half of a 6-8 inch round
flower. (Better yet, one box of frozen cauliflower flower lets will do
just fine, thaw in a microwave before use. If you do not have a
microwave just run it in hot water. If you do not have hot water sit on
it. Just kidding.)
Method:
- Cut the trout across (like fish steaks). A 9 inch trout will
yield 4 pieces. You can use the head (not yours, the fish's) if you
care. Discard the tail, please.
- Pound the garlic, ginger, green chilies with a pestle in a
mortar. If you do not have one, whack these with the bottom of a
skillet with vengeance.
- Rub the fish with the paste made in item-2 with lemon juice,
salt, and 1 tsp of curry powder.
- Let this marinate for 15 minutes. The lemon and turmeric removes
the fishiness of the fish. I am assuming that one does not like fish
smell. If you like the smell you will not offend my feelings.
- In a hot (325 F) thick skillet or pan (used for pancakes like
stuff) fry the fish steaks flesh side down (the side that enjoyed your
knife). Then, turn it over to fry the flat body. The skin may
separate. Do not panic!. This is normal. We all shed skin when
fried. But then, how often have we tried that? You should not fry the
fish till the skin separates as a guide. If the skin separates, throw
the skin away. The fish will not mind as it is already dead. The fish
steak should be intact and should not look like canned tuna flakes.
- In a sauce pan add 1 tbl spoon of oil and fry the cauliflower and
if you want you can add a portion of the paste in item-2. This should
be done if your spouse or significant other insists on a very
flavorful dish. Otherwise, the person who is presumably enjoying this
with you will complain of the mildness of the finished product till
the cows come home.
- Throw in the remainder of curry powder. About a tsp if you are
keeping score. If not, just do it.
- Sprnikle some water to cool the heat and generate some
steam. Enjoy the aroma, or turn on the stove hood fan. Either way it
will not influence the taste of this dish.
- Add salt to taste. Remember the fish had its own share of salt in the
marinade. Deal with that situation, calmly.
- The cauliflower should be cooked to a point where it does not
disintegrate. If it does do not worry, a broken cauliflower has yet not
broken any friendships.
- Throw in the fish and continue to steam for the flavors of the
flower to penetrate the trout.
- Garnish with cilantro.
- Please call your mother-in-law (mil) and tell her that you really
want her to enjoy this superb dish. Yahoo! I know she is a vegetarian.
The #13 and mil goes well in any recipe. If you do not like this
recipe please accept my mil's apologies.
|