Curry of the week : 17-August-97

Seafood Balti with Vegetables

As this is the first Balti style Curry of the Week a brief explanation is probably required. Balti is essentially a method of cooking a wide range of curries quickly over a high-heat using a stir-fry technique. In this dish, the seafood and vegetables are cooked separately and combined when served.

Ingredients

Seafood

• 225 g (1/2 lb) shark steaks (or any firm, white fish)
• 225 g (1/2 lb) cooked, cleaned prawns
• 6 crab sticks, halved lengthways
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons cornflour
• 150 ml (1/4 pint) corn oil

Vegetables

• 150 ml (1/4 pint) corn oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon onion seeds
• 1/2 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
• 175 g (6 oz) sweetcorn
• 1 teaspoon shredded ginger
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 fresh green chillies, sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped

Method

• Skin the fish and cut into small cubes. Put into a medium mixing bowl with the prawns and crab sticks, and put to one side.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the lemon juice, ground coriander, chilli powder, salt and ground cumin. Pour this over the seafood and mix together thoroughly.
• Sprinkle on the cornflour and mix again until the seafood is well coated. Set to one side in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to allow the flavours to develop.
• To make the vegetable mixture, heat the oil in a frying pan or kahari/wok. Throw in the onions and the onion seeds, and stir-fry until lightly browned. Add the cauliflower, sweetcorn. ginger, chilli powder, salt, green chillies and fresh coriander. Stir-fry for about 7-10 minutes over a medium heat. Do not overcook the cauliflower. Keep the vegetables warm while the seafood is prepared.
• Wash and dry the pan, then heat the oil to fry the seafood pieces. Fry the seafood pieces until they turn a golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
• Spoon a portion of the vegetables around the edge of each plate, leaving a space in the middle for the seafood. Place the seafood in the middle of the vegetables and serve.

Serves 4.