Indian Fish Curry

Photo: flickr user stu_spivack

Ingredients

1 lemongrass stalk

8 walnut-size shallots

6 garlic cloves

2 slc ginger - (quarter-size)

2 fresh red jalapeno chiles seeded

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons cooking oil

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

1/2 cup tamarind water

(made by soaking 4 tbspns tamarind pulp

cup in ½ hot water for 10 to 15 minutes and extracting the juices)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster-flavored sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 Asian eggplant cut into 6 slices

6 okra pods trimmed without

piercing the pods

1 whl fish - (1 1/2 to 2 lbs) cleaned

(such as sea bass or red snapper)

1/2 cup water

1 tomato cut 4 wedges

Preparation

Thinly slice bottom 6 inches of lemongrass. Place in a blender with remaining spice paste ingredients and process until smooth.

Place a wok over medium-low heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat sides. Add spice paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir in curry powder, chili garlic sauce, tamarind water, soy sauce, oyster-flavored sauce, sugar, and black pepper. Place eggplant and okra in pan. Lay fish on top of vegetables and add water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Place tomato around fish; cover and simmer until fish just begins to flake, about 20 minutes.

This recipe yields 4 servings.