I used a thick fillet of wild sea bass with skin here, cut into 3-inch segments. Use whatever fish looks good and fresh—haddock, halibut, salmon (steaks or thick fillet pieces), kingfish steaks, or even mackerel pieces. This is a creamy curry best eaten with rice. In Kerala it looks red from all the hot chili powder in it, but I have softened the heat with some paprika, which helps with the color. Serve with Plain Jasmine Rice and South Indian–Style Green Beans.

　　

Ingredients

serves 2¿4

　　1–1 1/4 pounds wild sea bass fillet with skin, 1/2–3/4-inch thick, cut crossways into 3-inch segments

　　Salt

　　2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

　　2/3 cup very finely slivered shallots

　　1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

　　1 large clove garlic, crushed in a garlic press

　　1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

　　1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

　　1 tablespoon nice red paprika

　　Lots of freshly ground black pepper

　　1 tablespoon lemon juice

　　1/2 cup coconut milk from a well-shaken can

　　

Step 1

Spread the fish pieces out and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt on both sides. Set aside as you prepare the sauce.

　　

Step 2

Pour the oil into a frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the shallots. Stir and fry until the pieces just start to turn brown at the edges. Add the ginger and garlic. Stir for a minute. Now add 1 cup water, the turmeric, cayenne, paprika, black pepper, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Add the coconut milk and mix it in. Bring the sauce back to a simmer. Put the fish pieces in the pan in a single layer and cook on medium-low heat, spooning the sauce over the fish pieces until they are poached, 5–10 minutes.

　　Excerpted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey. Copyright © 2010 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.Buy the full book from Amazon.