A Twist in the Curries

Each time I walk into one of the larger grocery stores, I am overwhelmed at the sheer quantities that look back at you. More than 50000 products, I would imagine. For someone like me who is amazed at food and the unlimited imagination associated with it-it’s like being in a Wonderland of sorts. Rows of fresh produce and herbs. Potatoes -russet, red, white, yellow, blue/purple, fingerling and petite. Apples -15 varieties-maybe more. Foods from around the globe. Raw, frozen, semi cooked, fully cooked.Sauces to simmer veggies and/or meat in. The cheeses, milk, OJs .Seafood and the butchers station.I could go on and on. Every once in a while some item catches my fancy. Pick me up and try me-it seems to say. On this visit I noticed a little bag of mini sweet peppers-bright and vibrant-the colors of India, I thought...I didn’t quite know what I would do with them, but bought a bag anyway.
Simple ingredients that would blend and make delicious dish I thought…

A twist in the Curries

Fish Moilee

6 fillets of fish, cut in ½, washed, rubbed over with turmeric powder
1 onion, sliced
8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved (Have these growing in the garden)
8 cloves garlic, whole
1” piece ginger, julienned
6 green chilies, slit (de seed if you want)
4 sweet mini peppers chopped
8-10 peppercorns
2 small green cardamom
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon pepper
1 can coconut milk
Salt
2 tablespoons oil

Vegetable Estew
I+1/2 cup mix vegetables, steamed. I used cauliflower florets, diced beans, cubes of boiled potato and diagonally cut carrots.

Heat oil-add peppercorns and cardamom. Add and lightly sauté the onions, garlic and julienned ginger. Mix in the green chilies and sweet mini peppers. Lower heat; add coconut milk .Add turmeric powder, pepper and salt. Simmer for flavors to blend.
Pour half the gravy on the veggies. Allow to simmer for a few seconds.
Put the fish into the remaining gravy. Cook on medium heat till it is cooked.

Serve hot with rice/bread.