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Seyal Machi (Fish in Caramelized Onion Sauce)
This seafood dish is real crowdpleaser at Ajanta, Lachu Moorjani's green-certified Indian restaurant in Berkeley. Farm-raised catfish is a very sustainable seafood choice and this dish has a thick and piquant sauce made with caramelized onions. Spices cooked with caramelized onions take on a smoky flavor, in the absence of moisture. Here the sourness of the mango powder plays nicely against the sweetness of the caramelied onion.
6 tablespoons oil
4 medium onions chopped
4 teaspoons coriander powder
1 plus 112 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons mango powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 & 1/2 to 2 tsp. hot chile pepper powder
2 pounds catfish or Halibut fillets
cut into three inch pieces
1. In a 6- to 8-quart saucepot, heat about 4 tablespoons of oil. Add onions and saute over high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are deep golden brown, almost caramelized. Heat should be kept high enough so that the onions dehydrate and do not become soggy.
2. Add all the spices and salt. Lower the heat a little bit. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Reduce to low heat, and leave the sauce on low until the next step is done.
3. In another 10- to 12-inch saute pan, heat the remaining oil until it becomes very hot, almost to the point of smoking. While the oil is getting hot, pat dry the pieces of fish in a clean toweL Saute the fish in the hot oil about 30 seconds on each side, until it changes color.
Transfer the fish to the pot with the sauce. Raise to medium heat and cook until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily, about 3 to 4 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fish pieces. Reduce the cooking time for thinner pieces.
Makes about 6 servings.
To learn more visit Ajanta
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