2 sea bass or sea bream fillets (each around 200g/7oz)
scales removed but skin on
1 tsp flaked sea salt
plus extra to season
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2½ tsp English mustard powder
freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp sunflower oil
1 heaped tsp yellow mustard seeds
¾ tsp black mustard seeds
¾ tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion
finely sliced
2 long green chillies
stalk trimmed and cut in half without deseeding
1 bay leaf
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp garam masala
150g/5½oz ripe tomatoes
roughly chopped
150g/5½oz rice
cooked according to packet instructions
Directions
Cut the fish fillets into roughly 7cm/3in wide strips. Put in a bowl and toss with the salt
cayenne pepper
half a teaspoon of the mustard powder and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
Mix the remaining mustard powder with 300ml/10fl oz water
adding it gradually and stirring constantly until you have thin yellow liquid. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the fish over a high heat
skin-side down for a minute
or until the skin begins to crisp. Carefully turn over and cook on the other side for a further minute. Take the fish out of the pan and put on a plate. (Don’t let the fish get crowded in the pan or they will be difficult to turn. If your pan isn’t large enough
cook the fish in two batches instead. It’s nice to have the skin on the fish but you can easily remove it after frying if you prefer.)
As soon as the fish is cooked
return the pan to the heat and add both the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Cook for a few seconds
stirring constantly. Add the sliced onion
chillies and bay leaf. Cook for about five minutes
stirring constantly
until the onion is softened and pale golden-brown. Make sure you cook with the extractor on full-speed as the spices could make you sneeze! Sprinkle over the turmeric and garam masala
add the chopped tomatoes and cook for two minutes more
stirring constantly.
Stir in the reserved mustard liquid and bring to a simmer. Cook for three minutes
or until the sauce has thickened and the volume of liquid has reduced by approximately one-third. The spices should have mellowed and the sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Return the fish to the pan and warm through in the bubbling sauce for two minutes until hot.
