Fish Curry With Brinjals and Pineapple

As long as I could remember, I never liked curry when I was younger. I just thought it tastes so heavy because of the thick coconut milk and all the spices.

When I got married and moved to Singapore, I fell in love with Indian cooking, surprisingly, despite the strong aroma and heavily flavoured dishes. Masala, tandoori, any kind of curry,even the sickly sweet dessert gulab jamun...you name it I like it...haha...greeedy greedy me.

I never had a courage to cook Indian food though, mainly because I didn't familiar with the spices. Fenugreek, mustard seeds, saffron..not sure what is what. Plus I am worried that the food will taste weird, y know those times when you had such an enthusiasm to try out a new recipe but it turned out to be a big failure and all the sudden you feel like catastrophe moved into your kitchen :0

But I feel I have to try to cook curry since my four year old loves curry very much. Often, when he gets home from school and pass through our Indian neighbour's house, he smells curry and says ...I want curry...! And we always end up getting some in the nearest hawker center. That happens many time.

So enough is enough :), I have got to learn to make curry. After borrowing Indian cooking books from the library and educating myself a bit, finally, tatata-daa..I'm cooking curry!

I found this recipe from Malaysia's Female Appetite Magazine. Avoiding any mishap, I followed the exact (well sort of) amount and ingredients stated in the recipe. I found this is a good method for first timers, works every time with me.

The curry doesn't taste that heavy, thanks to the tamarind juice that makes it lighter. And the addition of brinjals and pineapple chunks makes the curry more complete. Next time my son wants curry, mommy's ready to cook :))..

Fish Curry with Brinjals and Pineapple

650 gr siakap fish

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cm ginger, chopped

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp fenugreek

2 tsp tamarind mixed with 1 cup water and strained

2 sprigs curry leaves

2-3 tbsp fish curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tomatoes, diced

2 chillies, sliced

2 cups water

2 small brinjals, sliced

3 sliced of pineapple cut into 1 cm rings and diced

3/4 cup thick coconut milk

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt to taste

Garnishing

diced tomatoes, diced pineapple, corianderleaves and spring onions

In a deep pot, heat oil and saute onion, ginger, garlic, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek until frangrant. Add tamarind juice, curry leaves fish curry powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, tomatoes, red chillies and water, and bring to a slow boil. Add brinjals after 10 mins. Add the fish chunks and simmer until the fish is cooked. Add the diced pineapple and coconut milk. and bring to a slow boil. Pour lemon juiice and season with salt. Garnish with tomatoes, pineapple, coriander leaves and spring onions,