Giriga’s Salmon Curry with Riata and Steamed Rice

Ingredients

Indian Curry sauce

• mustard oil as required
• 200gm onion, peeled, halved and finely chopped
• 1tbs ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp chilli powder
• ¼ tsp sugar, caster
• 3 vine ripened tomatoes, remove and reserve the seeds and finely chop the tomato
• ¼ tsp mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp black cumin seeds
• 6 fenugreek seeds
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp chilli, finely chopped
• 300ml water
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp coriander, leaves picked, washed, drained and finely chopped
• to taste sea salt and freshly milled black pepper

• Steamed rice

• 300gm basmati rice, washed and soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, drained
• 545ml water
• 1 tsp butter
• ½ tsp salt

Turmeric Spiced Salmon

• 1 tbs turmeric
• 1 tsp table salt
• 3 tbs cornflour
• 1.8kg Atlantic salmon fillet, skin on, trim, pin-boned and cut into 6 x 200gm portions
• mustard oil as required

Riata

To Serve

¼  punnet baby coriander, picked

Method

Indian Curry sauce

Over a moderate heat, in a heavy based saucepan, heat a little of the mustard oil, ensuring there is enough to cover the base of the saucepan. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and sauté, stirring regularly until the onions have softened and slightly coloured.

Reduce the heat to low, add the cumin, chilli and sugar and continue to sauté for 5 minutes or until the spices are fragrant, add the tomatoes, cover the saucepan with a lid and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, remove from the heat, remove the spice mix and place into a food processor and puree until smooth, reserve and set to one side.

Over a moderate heat, in a second saucepan, heat the remaining mustard oil, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and pepper, sauté, stirring regularly, until fragrant – be careful not to burn the seeds – add the chopped chilli and sauté for a further 2 minutes, then add the onion mixture and sauté for a further 5 minutes. Add the water and bring to the boil, cover the saucepan with a lid, reduce the heat and allow the mixture to gently simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the garam masala and coriander, season to taste.

Steamed Rice

Place the rice into a suitably sized heavy based saucepan, add the water, place over a moderate heat and bring to the boil, add the salt and butter and stir through, place a tight fitting lid onto the saucepan, reduce the heat and allow to gently simmer for 12 minutes.

Remove from the heat and keep the saucepan covered for a further 15 minutes, when ready to serve gently ‘fluff up’ the rice with a fork.

Turmeric Spiced Salmon

Place the flour, turmeric and salt into a mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined, add the salmon fillets and dust with the mixture, remove the fish shaking off any excess turmeric mix.

Over a moderate heat, in a suitably sized frying pan, heat the oil, add the fish and seal for 1 minute on all sides, remove the fish from the heat and place into a warm place to rest for 5 minutes.

To Serve

Evenly place a portion of the curry sauce into a bowl and neatly spread over the base of the bowl, place a portion of the fish on top, and top with a spoonful of riata and a little baby coriander, serve the rice as a side dish.

John Hawkesby’s wine recommendation

Riesling
Domain Rd. Vineyard 'The Water Race Dry Riesling' 2010

Gewurztraminer
Lawsons Dry Hills 2009