1½lb(750 g) skinless cod fillets, cut into 10 cm/4 inch pieces
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
½ pint (300 ml) boiling water
4 tablespoons groundnut oil
8 curry leaves
2 teaspoons onion seeds (kalonji)
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 large green chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Madras curry paste
4 small tomatoes, quartered
4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
Instructions
Rub the cod fillet with the turmeric and salt, and place in a shallow, non-metallic dish.
Soak the tamarind pulp in the boiling water for 10 minutes, then strain the pulp through a sieve, pressing it against the sieve to extract as much tamarind flavour as possible. Discard the pulp and pour the tamarind liquid over the fish. Cover and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Meanwhile, prepare the curry sauce. Heat the oil in a heavy-based sauté pan, add the curry leaves and onion seeds and cook gently for 1 minute.
Stir in the sliced onions and chillies and cook for 3 minutes until soft but not coloured. Stir in the curry paste and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Remove the fish from the tamarind liquid and set aside. Add the tamarind
liquid to the pan of fried ingredients with the tomatoes. Stir gently to mix, then simmer the curry sauce gently for 10 minutes.
6 Add the fish and chopped coriander to the pan, cover and cook for 8 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve the curry hot with steamed rice or rotis.