My dahl with coral trout

Peter Kuruvita first taught me how to make this dahl. While I was living in Fiji, I would prepare this dish once a week. Fresh curry leaves were abundant, and we had access to Coral Trout fresh from the markets. I enjoy serving this with roti on the side and if I’m not too lazy, I’ll make it, but frozen store-bought ones are equally convenient and work well.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 200 g red lentils
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 dried long red chillies, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 litre water
• 3 garlic cloves
• 20 g piece ginger
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 100 ml coconut oil
• 1 sprig fresh curry leaves, picked
• 3 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped
• 400 g Coral Trout fillets (or any firm white fish) cut 3 cm chunks (you should have 16 pieces)
• coriander leaves, to garnish
• date and tamarind chutney, to serve
• roti, to serve

Instructions

1. In a fine mesh sieve, wash the red lentils under running water, then transfer to a large heavy-based saucepan with the turmeric, dried chilli, red onion and water and bring to the boil.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until the dahl thickens.

3. While the dahl is simmering, add the garlic, ginger and salt to a mortar and pestle and crush to a thick paste. Heat the coconut oil in a small frying pan, then add the curry leaves, cumin and mustard seeds and cook until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add the garlic ginger paste to the pan and cook until fragrant.

4. Transfer the spiced coconut oil mixture to the dahl with the tomato and fish. Cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the fish pieces are cooked through.

5. To serve, divide the dahl between bowls, ensuring each bowl has four pieces of fish. Sprinkle with coriander leaves, add a dollop of date and tamarind chutney and serve with roti on the side.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Fancy In 15

Watch the full episode here

PG

Watch the full episode here

PG