Justin Narayan celebrates his Fijian-Indian heritage with these aromatic curries
I feel like it’s becoming rare to sit around a table together, and I think we’re lacking a sense of community because of that.
Cooking and sharing food brings us together – it’s affection, it’s care, it’s community. It reinforces what it means to be human. And I think right now we’re missing that more than we realise. We’re separated by screens, jobs, distance and whatever else life throws at us, and we don’t always have the dinner table to reunite us. I feel like it’s becoming rare to sit around a table together, and I think we’re lacking a sense of community because of that. If anything, I hope one of these recipes can be the answer: I hope they inspire you to make a meal for someone else.
Also try my roast chicken curry.
Prawn curry
Ingredients
- 1kg king prawns
- ¼ cup light olive oil
- 1 brown onion, roughly diced
- 2 bird’s eye chillies
- ¼ teaspoon each of cumin seeds and black mustard seeds, and 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 5-6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 5g fresh ginger, finely grated
- 6-8 fresh curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Fiji masala or garam masala
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 tomato, roughly diced
To serve
- Coriander, roti and rice
Method
- Clean the prawns by removing the vein. If you want to keep the shell on, do this by finding a gap in the shell near the head, inserting a skewer and pulling out the vein. Otherwise, peel the prawns, leaving the tails intact.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then add the onion, fresh chilli and whole spices and cook until the onion starts to turn golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, curry leaves and powdered spices.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes, then add the tomato and cook for 1-2 minutes until it breaks down.
- Now, add the prawns and mix so they are evenly coated with the spices. Taste and adjust the seasoning and cook until the prawns are just cooked through, about 5-7 minutes (longer if they’re shell on; cook until the shells have turned orange).
- Garnish with coriander and serve with roti and rice.
Serves 4-6
Fish Curry
Ingredients
- 100ml white vinegar
- 6 Spanish mackerel cutlets (600-700g)
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 1/3 cup light olive oil
- 1 small brown onion, thinly sliced
- 1 sprig fresh curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon each of cumin seeds and black mustard seeds, and 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 10 garlic cloves, crushed
- 10g fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- 2 tablespoons masala powder
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 300ml hot water
- 100ml coconut cream
To serve
- Coriander, roti and rice
Method
- Combine the vinegar and 2 cups of water in a bowl. Wash the fish in the vinegar mixture; drain and pat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle the fish with the flour and a pinch of salt.
- Heat ¼ cup oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then add the fish and fry about 2 minutes each side. (No need to cook the fish through, just aiming to get colour.) Set aside on a plate.
- Wipe the pan clean with paper towels, then add the remaining oil along with the onion, curry leaves and whole spices. Cook over a medium-high heat.
- When the onion starts to turn golden brown, add the garlic, ginger and tomato and cook until the tomato breaks down, 3-5 minutes.
- Add the powdered spices and a pinch of salt and cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the tamarind paste, then cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the hot water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the seared fish and let it cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the coconut cream and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Season with salt to taste and garnish with the coriander. Serve with roti and rice.
Serves 4-6
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