This is my take on this classic dish from Southern India that comes with deep, settled flavours and a velvety sauce. Usually, when moilee is made at home, people tend to cook the fish in the sauce. However, I think it works better when you make the sauce with a stock using the mussels and pan-sear the sea bass. This way you have the great texture of the fish and there is a bit of a twist on the classic dish.
-
Serves
2
-
Cook Time
00 h 30 m
Ingredients
For The Fish
- 2 fillets of sea bass (400-600 gm each)
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- Pinch of turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
For The Sauce
- 10 mussels with shell
- 10 fresh curry leaves, finely sliced
- 8 garlic cloves
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- 4 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 200 gm onions, sliced
- 20 gm fresh ginger julienned
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
Preparation
- Marinate the fish with turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and salt. Keep aside.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, ginger juliennes, garlic cloves, green chillies and curry leaves. Stir until leaves begin to crackle.
- Toss in the sliced onions and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until translucent.
- Add ground turmeric and stir for a minute.
- Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Let it all simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Now toss in the mussels and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from heat.
- In another non-stick pan, pan-sear the marinated sea bass on low flame. You could finish it with a thin slice of butter for a nutty note.
- Once done, serve the pan seared fish with the Moilee sauce and plain rice.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!