ANDHRA FISH CURRY

ANDHRA curry powder is made using Kashmiri chilli powder, which comes from deep red, dried chillies with wrinkled skin. It imparts a vibrant red colour and a mild heat. If you can’t get hold of it, use two-thirds Kashmiri chilli powder with one-third ground turmeric. This is a tomato-based fish curry that, unusually, doesn’t use coconut milk — the distinct tastes come from the Kashmiri chilli powder, tamarind and mango, but the spices and flavourings give a subtle, layered flavour. SERVES 6 75g dried tamarind pulp 100ml sunflower oil 2 onions, finely chopped 1 tsp fenugreek seeds 1 tsp black mustard seeds ½ tsp cumin seeds ¼ tsp salt 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 1 green chilli, finely sliced

3 tsp Andhra curry powder (or 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and 1 tsp ground turmeric)

1 mango cheek from a large, unripe mango, or 1 whole small, unripe mango

450g ripe tomatoes, chopped, or 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes About 6 curry leaves, fresh or dried 140g long-grain rice 500g haddock fillet, skinned and cut into bite-size chunks 3 spring onions, chopped Small handful fresh coriander leaves START by boiling 150ml water and submerging the tamarind in it, then leave to soak for at least 15 minutes. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan or flameproof casserole over a medium heat and fry the onions, fenugreek, mustard and cumin seeds with the salt. When the onions are soft, add the garlic, green chilli, curry powder or chilli powder and turmeric. Cook for a further minute or so. Cut the flesh from the mango, but leave the skin on. Then slice the flesh crossways, trying to ensure that each slice has a strip of peel. Add these slices, the tomatoes and the curry leaves to the pan and cook, covered, for ten minutes, until the tomatoes are soft. Strain the tamarind pulp through a sieve, pressing down with the back of a spoon to get all but the seeds through. Pour the liquid into the curry. Rinse the rice in cold water. Put it into a saucepan, pour over enough water to cover it by 2-3cm and bring to the boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for roughly ten minutes without lifting the lid, until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and set aside, still covered, until ready to be served. Return the curry to a simmer for a minute or two (it should be liquid, but thick), before adding the fish and cooking for four minutes. Turn off the heat and let the haddock continue to cook gently in the curry for a few minutes while the flavour penetrates the fish. Tip the curry into a serving dish and garnish with the spring onions and coriander. Serve with the rice.