Coumadin® (Warfarin)
This recipe is NOT safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users.
Lactose
This recipe is safe for those who are lactose intolerant.
Sodium
This is a low sodium recipe.
GERD / Acid Reflux
This recipe contains GERD triggers and those with GERD may wish to avoid it.
Gluten Sensitivity
This recipe is safe for those who are sensitive to gluten.
"There's no such thing as 'a curry.' There's six kazillion different kinds of curry. When someone asks how to make chicken curry, I have to ask 'Which one?" -Aarti Sequeira
In England they now eat more curry than any other single food. What we think of in the U.S. as curry is not really what it is – primarily because most Americans grew up thinking of curry is what happens when you use the somewhat generic yellow curry powder that has been available in most grocery stores for decades.
The term, however, simply refers to a spiced dish – generally from the Indian sub-continent – but this extends to East Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. The dictionary defines it as "a dish of meat, vegetables, etc., cooked in an Indian-style sauce of strong spices and turmeric and typically served with rice." This is also a fairly Western view of what a curry is. Yes, the spices are strong, and generally there is a sauce along with "meat, vegetables, etc.," but the spices don't always have to include turmeric and the flavors are not always what we Westerners think of as Indian. Even within India there are a multitude of varieties based on regional flavors and recipes.
This recipe is in the style of Goa, a state that stretches along the Arabian Sea in southwestern India. The flavors are much different than the stereotypical "curry," and many of their dishes use seafood as you might expect. Even so, there are dozens of variations on this sauce and there are basic spices found in most recipes claiming to be a Goan curry. This recipe is meant to be as close to the most common as possible and still be both simple and use ingredients that are fairly widely available.
You may not be able to find tamarind paste, for example, and that is OK. The shrimp stock is a great addition and brings a subtle seafood flavor to the sauce, but vegetable stock or even water will work fine.
Toasting the spices first really brings out their flavors and gives the curry a bit of a smoky flavor. Many curries from Goa also include paprika, and a touch of smoked paprika is a great addition to this recipe.
There is a great balance to this dish, with the sweetness of the fish as a counterpoint to the spicy sauce, but you could use almost any protein: chicken, shrimp, lentils, or even roasted eggplant.
Servings: 4 | Serving size: 4 ounces fish with sauce
Cooking time: 75 minutes
This recipe can easily be multiplied and makes great leftovers.
Serve with Brown Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice or Coconut Brown Rice or Low Sodium Cilantro Lime Rice or Simple Quinoa
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cardamom
2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. ginger root (minced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large white onion (diced)
1 jalapeno pepper (minced)
2 15-ounce cans no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cups no salt added vegetable stock (or no salt added shrimp stock)
3 tsp. tamarind paste (optional)
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup lite coconut milk
16 ounces fresh Atlantic salmon (skinned and cut into 1/2 inch chunks)
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, raw
2 large green onions (thinly sliced crosswise)
Place the black peppercorns and cloves in a small skillet over medium high heat.
Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute to toast the spices.
Add the coriander, cardamom, turmeric and cumin and toast for 2 minutes.
Adjust the heat or remove the pan from the heat if the spices begin to overheat or smoke.
Set aside to cool.
Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add the ginger and garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Stir frequently.
Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir frequently.
Add the jalapeno, tomatoes, shrimp stock, tamarind paste, honey and salt.
Stir and simmer for one hour. Stir occasionally
Place 1 cup of the sauce and the coconut milk in a blender with the spices.
Blend the sauce until smooth.
Add the remaining sauce and blend gently but not until too smooth. There should be a slight texture to the sauce.
Return the sauce to the pan over low-medium heat.
Add the salmon and cilantro to the pan and cook for about 8 minutes. Stir gently once or twice.
Serve topped with the green onions.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 4 ounces fish with sauce
Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 360 | Calories from Fat 171 |
% Daily Value |
Total Fat 19g | 24% |
Saturated Fat 5g | 26% |
Monounsaturated Fat 6g | |
Trans Fat 0g | |
Cholesterol 63mg | 21% |
Sodium 392mg | 17% |
Total Carbohydrates 18g | 7% |
Dietary Fiber 5g | 18% |
Sugars 10g | |
Protein 25g |
Vitamin A 14% | Vitamin C 42% |
Calcium 9% | Iron 14% |
Vitamin K 40mcg | Potassium 963mg |