Nepali Fish Curry

This is based off a recipe given to me by one of my mom's friends, Sheryl. I changed the recipe a bit to fit my own tastes, added fish (because it was a vegetable curry) and most importantly, made the curry powder myself. I've seen thinner curries out there but I like it as a thick gravy like this.

I used catfish in this recipe because it was cheap and felt like it would go with the other ingredients. It really doesn't matter, you can use pretty much any white fleshed fish.

A small side note on a spice used here. Most people reading this have probably never heard of asafoetida. Its a type of tree resin that's hardened and powdered. Alone it smells and tastes terrible but after being fried in oil briefly it smells and tastes like garlic and onions. It's used almost exclusively in the cooking of Southeast Asia/India. I happened to find some at jungle jims the other day and wanted to test it out here. The asafoetida in this recipe is optional. I added it because I like the aroma and flavor it adds, but you can omit it entirely and it won't make that big of an impact on the final product.

You'll need:

Curry

1 lbs catfish or other white fleshed fish.

2 medium onions, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 shallots, minced

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

3 tbsp homemade curry powder, divided

3 tsp asafoetida, divided

1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1 red pepper, roughly diced

1 leek, white part only, cut in half and sliced

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup coconut milk

Homemade Curry Powder

1 tsp cloves 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp peppercorns 2 tsp coriander seeds

2 tsp mustard seeds 2 tsp fennel seeds 2 black cardamom pods 2 3" cinnamon sticks 2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground fenugreek

Start by making your curry powder. Put all the whole spices in a dry pan and toast them for a few minutes until they're fragrant.

Transfer to a grinder. A coffee grinder works great for this. I just washed out my mom's coffee grinder and used that. Make sure it isn't wet though or else you won't get a powder you'll get a clumpy mess.

Grind the spices to a fine powder and transfer to a bowl. Stir in turmeric, nutmeg, and fenugreek.

Any leftover curry powder can be stored in an airtight jar in a cool dark place for several months.

Now start the curry. Heat a few tablespoons of butter in a large, high-sided sauté pan and add onions, garlic, shallots, and ginger.

Once the onions are translucent and slightly soft, add 2 teaspoons of asafoetida and 1 tablespoon of curry powder. Fold in cauliflower and cook for another minute.

Now add the chopped leek and bell pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring to coat with spices and butter. Add more butter if the pan get too dry.

Now add the crushed tomatoes and last two tablespoons of curry powder. Cover and let it cook until the cauliflower is tender.

Once the cauliflower is fork-tender, stir in coconut milk and season to taste with salt. Set aside while you cook the fish.

Chop the fish into 1-inch pieces. Melt butter in a pan and add 1 teaspoon if asafoetida and the fish.

Yeah I messed up and the fish stuck to the pan but it still tastes good.

When the fish is cooked, add it to the curry and heat through.

Transfer to bowls and serve!

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