Seafood Recipes - Stuffed Fish

Ingredients

• 2 large trout

• salt

• 45 ml/3 tbsp wine vinegar

• 6 large cloves garlic

• 2.5 cm/1 in ginger root

• 1 onion, coarsely chopped

• 5 ml/1 tsp garam masala

• 1.5 ml/1/2 tsp ground turmeric

• 30 ml/1/2 tbsp oil

Filling:

• 60 ml/ 4 tbsp ghee

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 5 black peppercorns

• 4 cloves

• 2 bay leaves

• 2.5 cm/1 in cinnamon stick

• 1 black cardamom pod

• 100 g/4 oz/1/2 cup basmati or patna rice

• 5 ml/1 tsp garam masala

• 5ml/1 tsp ground roasted cumin

• 1.5 ml/1/4 tsp ground mace

• 1.5ml/1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

• 150 g/5 oz mixed vegetables, cubed

• roo g/4 ozi cup raisins 8 50 g/2 oz/V2 cup blanched almonds, halved

• I g/l oz/'It cup cashew nuts, halved 8 300 ml/V2 pt/l'lt cups water

• 'nce: 4 large cloves garlic 8 2.5 cm/l in ginger root

• tDnion, coarsely chopped 8 90 ml/6 tbsp oil 8 5 mIll tsp mustard seeds

• timall onion, finely chopped 8 30 ml/2 tbsp ground almonds

• IT mIll tbsp ground coriander 8 2.5 mIlY2 tsp ground red chilli

• Ii ml/V2 tsp ground turmeric 8 2.5 mllY2 tsp garam masala 8 salt

• 4NI g/14 oz canned tomat~ 8 150 ml/'lt pt/% cup natural (plain) yoghurt

• I" ml/3 tbsp lemon juice 8 15 mIll tbsp sugar 8 150 ml/'lt pt/% cup water

• Garnish: 2.5 ml/V2 tsp garam masalar

• r mIll tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) 8 1 small green chilli, chopped

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Method:

1. Clean the trout and remove the eyes but do not remove the bones. Scrape the skin with a sharp knife to remove the scales and make 4-6 gashes on each side. Rub inside and out with salt then wash thoroughly.

2. Blend the wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, onion, garam masala, tur­meric and salt to a smooth paste in a blender or food processor. Rub the paste allover inside and outside the fish, cover and leave to marinate for 4 hours.

3. To make the filling, heat the ghee in a heavy-based pan and fry the onion and whole spices over a medium heat until golden. Add the rice and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the ground spices then the mixed vegetables, raisins, nuts and water. Bring to the boil. cover and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes until the rice is tender. Stir carefully.

4. While the rice is cooking, heat the oil, lift the fish from the marinade and fry it lightly on both sides for 5 minutes. Gently remove the skin and place the fish on a baking dish. Pour the marinade into the pan and fry until golden brown. Run it over the fish. Bake the fish in a preheated oven at 200C/400F for 20 minutes.

5. The sauce can be made in advance. Blend the garlic, ginger and onion to a smooth paste in a blender or food processor. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and fry the mustard seeds until they start crackling. Add the onion and fry until lightly browned.

6. Add the blended paste and fry until golden. Stir in the ground spices and salt and cook for 1 minute then stir in the tomatoes and cook until all the water has been absorbed and the oil appears on the surface. Stir in the yoghurt, cover as the mixture tends to split, and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed. Add the lemon juice, sugar and water, bring to the boil then simmer over a low heat for 2 minuets.

7. Arrange the fish on a serving dish and place the filling between and around them. Pour over the sauce,  sprinkle with the garnish ingredients and serve hot with nan, ratia and dal.