Fish and Peas in a Fennel-Fenugreek Sauce

Name: Fish and Peas in a Fennel-Fenugreek Sauce
Yield: serves 2¿3
Ingredients: 1 pound fillet of cod, hake, or halibut, 1/2–3/4 inch thick; Salt; Freshly ground black pepper; Cayenne pepper; 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric; 3 tablespoons mustard, olive, or canola oil; 1/8 teaspoon ground asafetida; 1/4 teaspoon whole mustard seeds; 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds; 1/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds; 1/8 teaspoon whole fenugreek seeds; 3 tablespoons plain yogurt, preferably the acidophilus variety sold at health-food stores, or Greek yogurt; 4 medium tomatoes, coarsely grated; 1 cup fresh or frozen and defrosted peas

December 9, 2011

I used to make this dish with fillets of halibut until the cost, at least in New York, made me look at other fish. Now I use cod or hake. They both flake a bit more but still manage to hold their shape. Salting them ahead of time helps hold them together. I like to use fresh tomatoes even if they are out of season, as they are gentler in flavor. I grate the tomatoes on the coarsest part of a four-sided grater (see method on page 289), which removes the skin but keeps the seeds. Four medium tomatoes will yield roughly 1 3/4 cups of fresh puree, about what you need here. Light and lovely, this dish is best served with rice. I like to add a dal and perhaps a green, leafy vegetable.

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