A fish delight with fruity - exotic taste

In Madagascar, the Food culture just as the inhabitants are enriched by influences from Asia and Europe. However, the basics have remained very typical of the country, the Malagasy are the biggest travel eater in the world as for the quantity: 700gr dry rice per person and per day. So the rice is the main ingredient of the Nutrition.

I will start with a simple recipe from the coastal people of northern Madagascar, of course it has been "adapted" somewhat from my Asian influences:

Fish with coconut sauce

For this you need:

1 kg fish fillet cut into cubes of about 4cm

4 tomatoes

2 onions

3 cm ginger root

4 garlic cloves

Cumin dry roasted and freshly ground, turmeric, mustard seeds, allspice, cinnamon, pepper, salt.

Coconut milk (freshly squeezed if possible), Combava leaves, fresh coriander, orange or lemon zest fresh and finely grated.

After the fish is cut into rough cubes, moisten with a little lemon juice and let stand.

Coarsely ground pepper or Wild pepper from MadagascarMix salt, cumin and a spoonful of flour in a plastic bag. Mix the pieces of fish in it with the dry spices until they have a layer of spices on all sides. The fish should be firm, so rather "fat fish" like perch, captain, or others. Sauté the fish cubes but only until they remain firm, then continue cooking slowly in the spice/coconut sauce. Many fish only need a few minutes to remain soft and delicious.

Heat olive oil, throw a teaspoon of black mustard seeds into the oil and wait until they burst, then fry minced onions, garlic and ginger, then add the finely chopped tomatoes, turmeric, pepper, chili, 2 Combava leaves, grated lemon or orange zest and a very little cinnamon to round off the natural acidity of the tomatoes, salt and cook slowly. At the end, insert a can of coconut milk (if fresh is not available) and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.

Best served with perfectly cooked basmati rice which can also be cooked with some toasted cumin or hard shredded coconut.