Coconut-Curry Crusted Mongchong with Fresh Coriander Chutney and Onion Relish

It's all about the condiments--Relishes, Chutneys and Pickles at I Heart Cooking Clubs this week. I found two easy recipes to try in Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking; Fresh Coriander Chutney and Onion Relish, and I tossed together a Coconut-Curry Crusted Fish (local mongchong) and basmati rice to go with them. It made for an easy and relatively quick dinner with lots of flavor.

Coconut-Curry Crusted Fish
by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Serves 2)

2 firm fish fillets of choice (I used mongchong--aka pomfret)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup flour, separated
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
ground pepper to taste
1 egg or egg replacer (I didn't have any eggs!) ;-)
1 Tbsp butter or non-dairy butter spread
1 Tbsp olive oilMix coconut, 1/4 cup of flour, curry, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper together well on a plate or in a shallow bowl. In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg or mix up egg replacer. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup flour on a plate. Dredge the fish in the plain flour and shake/brush off any excess. Then dip fish into in the egg mixture, shaking off any excess and dredge in the coconut-curry mixture, making sure to coat completely.  

Heat the butter and olive oil together over medium high heat. When pan is hot, sauté the fish until nicely browned on both sides and cooked though on the inside.  About 2-3 minutes per side for thinner fillets and up to 6 minutes per side for thicker pieces. 
 
Serve topped with Fresh Coriander Chutney (recipe below)

Jaffrey says, "This is the kind of chutney that is made fresh in our homes everyday. Apart from its sharp, perky taste, it is exceedingly rich in Vitamins A and C as well as in chlorophyll. We eat small amounts 1-2 teaspoons with our meals. It also serves as an excellent dip for snacks such as samosas." 

Fresh Coriander Chutney (Hare Dhaniye Ki Chutney) 
From Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking
(Serves 4-6)

 3 cups (75g) lightly packed fresh coriander (cilantro), leaves & upper leafy pieces, coarsely chopped
1/2 to 1 fresh, hot green chilli, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds
freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in the container of an electric blender. Blend, pushing down with a rubber spatula several times, until you have a paste. Empty the paste into a small glass or other non-metallic bowl.

Jaffrey says, "This is one of those relishes that may be served with almost every Indian meal. It may be familiar to you from Indian restaurants where it is nearly always on the table."

Onion Relish (Pyaz Ka Laccha)
From Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking
(Serves 4)

1 medium onion, peeled
3/4 tsp salt
4 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp paprika (the redder in color the better)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Cut the onion crosswise into paper-thin rings. Put the rings in a bowl . Add all the other ingredients. Toss and mix. Set aside for 30 minutes (or more) before eating, in order to let the flavors blend.  

 
Notes/Results: Simple, with good flavors in both the chutney and the onions and they complimented the fish with its coconut and curry crust nicely. The chutney is bright and herby with a nice but not too hot burn from the chilli. If you can't do coriander or cilantro, parsley would work well in this. The onions were my favorite--the lemon juice tenderizers them and the paprika and cayenne give them good flavor. Next time I would truly slice them paper thin but I liked the crispness of the thicker pieces too. (I used my small handheld mandoline slicer rather than digging out and setting up my big fancy one that slices very thinly because I am lazy like that.) ;-) I would make both recipes again.

There will be plenty of other Relishes, Chutneys and Pickles over at the IHCC site this week, so stop by and check them out. 

Happy Aloha Friday!