Sea bass, mussel and white wine curry

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5.00

This easy seafood curry from Sameer Taneja is quick to make and bursting with the south Indian flavours of coconut, curry leaves and mustard seeds. The twist? A good splash of white wine which adds plenty of bright, light, floral sweetness.

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First published in 2021

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Method

1
Clean the mussels by removing the beards and discard any dead or damaged mussels. Place in a bowl of cold water
2
Next, prepare the vegetables for the curry. Peel the Madras onions (or small shallots) and finely slice the banana shallot. Halve the garlic cloves, discard the green germ in the centre, then finely slice. Set aside
3
Place a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Season the fish with salt and place the fish skin-side down in the pan. Cook for 3 minute or until the skin is crisp and the white albumin starts appearing out of the fish, then carefully remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and set aside. Don't worry if the fish still looks undercooked – it will finish cooking in the sauce later
  • 100ml of avocado oil, or vegetable oil
  • 4 sea bass fillets, sliced into 2 or 3 pieces and scored on the skin side
  • salt
4
Pour away most of the oil left in the pan, then place back over the heat. Add the mustard seeds, wait for them to splutter, then add the sliced banana shallot, garlic, chillies and Madras onions. Cook for a few minutes
5
Drain the mussels and add to the pan with the wine. Turn up the heat, cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes, until all the mussels have opened (discard any that stay closed)
  • 200ml of white wine, floral or off dry
6
Add half the curry leaves, the turmeric and a pinch of salt to the mussels, then pour in the coconut water and add a crack of black pepper. Spoon in the coconut milk and add the tomatoes. Simmer for a few more minutes
7
Add the chopped coriander and remaining curry leaves, turn off the heat then carefully place the fish back into the pan skin-side up, along with any juices left on the plate. The residual heat of the sauce will reheat and finish cooking the bass
8
To serve, divide the curry between 4 dishes, ensuring everyone gets an equal amount of fish and mussels. Drizzle with a little lime juice to finish
First published in 2021

After falling in love with European fine dining and working for the likes of Pierre Koffmann and Alain Roux, Sameer Taneja turned his attention to Indian flavours to become one of London's most esteemed chefs.

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