Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
• 2 x 2.5cm/1in piece cinnamon stick
• 2 large whole dried red chillies
• broken into three or four pieces (seeded
• if liked)
• 3-4 cloves (optional)
• 2 smallish onions
• finely chopped
• 1 heaped tbsp ginger and garlic paste (or 4 garlic cloves
• crushed and 2 tsp grated fresh ginger)
• 4-5 tomatoes
• chopped (or a 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes)
• 1 tbsp malt vinegar
• 1 tbsp jaggery or muscovado sugar
• ½ tsp tamarind paste (optional)
• salt
• to taste
• 250g/9oz white fish fillet
• skinned
• 1 large green chilli
• finely chopped
• 2.5cm/1in piece fresh ginger
• finely chopped
• 6-8 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• or to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 free-range egg
• 2 slices white bread
• soaked briefly in water and squeezed out
• salt and pepper
• 100g/3½oz plain flour
• 2-3 free-range eggs
• oil
• for shallow-frying

Directions

• For the tomato sauce
• heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan or a flameproof casserole
• over a medium heat. Add the cinnamon sticks and fry until deep brown in colour and swollen
• but not burnt. Add the red chillies and cloves (if using) and
• after about 20 seconds
• add the chopped onions. Fry gently for 3-4 minutes
• or until they are soft but not brown. Add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for a further minute or so.
• Stir in the tomatoes
• vinegar
• jaggery (or muscovado sugar) and tamarind
• if using. Part-cover and simmer over a low heat for 15-20 minutes
• stirring occasionally
• until pulpy. Season to taste with salt
• remove from the heat and set aside.
• For the fishcakes
• if you have a mincer (grinder) or food processor at home
• then mincing the fish is easy. If not then you can chop up the fillets and with a cleaver or a large knife. Chop repeatedly as if chopping parsley until you get a fine mince.
• In a food processor
• blend the chilli
• ginger
• garlic and coriander with the fish and mix to a rough paste.
• Add the salt
• lemon juice and the egg and mix well. Finally work in the well-squeezed bread. The bread is to stabilise the mixture and if you find it is too soft
• soak and squeeze another slice or two until you have a mix that is firm enough to form into balls without sticking to you palms.
• To check the seasoning
• fry a tiny piece fry of the mixture and taste. Season with salt and pepper
• to taste. When you are happy with it
• divide the mixture into even-sized balls depending on the size you prefer. You may like them large if eating as a main dish or small if serving as a snack.
• Heat about 5mm/¼in oil in a deep frying pan. Spread the flour out in a flat tray big enough to take all the balls at one time and beat the eggs in a shallow dish.
• Flatten each ball until about 1cm/½ in thick. Smooth the edges so that they are not jagged or uneven. Coat in the flour and then the beaten eggs
• draining off any excess. If the egg is well-beaten you will get a nice frilly texture.
• Fry the cakes in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side
• or until golden-brown. Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Remove the cinnamon and cloves (if using) from the sauce and reheat
• if serving hot.
• Serve the fishcakes hot or cold with the sauce.