Indian-style fish curry with Belgian ale

SERVES 4

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

3 small red chillies, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2.5 cm (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, chopped

45 ml (1½ fl oz) peanut oil

1 red onion, sliced

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon curry powder

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) coconut milk

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) coconut cream

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) Belgian-style high-alcohol ale

45 ml (1½ fl oz) lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated palm sugar (jaggery)

2 teaspoons fish sauce

10 fresh curry leaves

12 snow peas (mangetout), topped and tailed

12 sugar snap peas, topped and tailed

100 g (3½ oz) baby squid tubes, cut into rings

12 raw prawns (shrimp), peeled and deveined

400 g (14 oz) blue eye cod fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Dry-roast the cumin, coriander and half the mustard seeds in a frying pan over medium heat until fragrant and slightly smoking. Tip into a mortar and grind together to a fine powder using a pestle. Add the chilli, garlic and ginger, along with a pinch of sea salt, then pound until a well-combined paste forms. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium–high heat. Add the onion and fry, stirring, for 10 minutes or so, until the onion caramelises. Stir in the turmeric, curry powder and remaining mustard seeds and fry for several more minutes until fragrant. Add the spice paste from the mortar and cook over high heat for 10 minutes, stirring to combine all the ingredients and flavours.

Stir in the coconut milk and cream and also the beer. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the lemon juice, palm sugar, fish sauce and curry leaves. Taste for seasoning, especially the fish sauce, and adjust as needed. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Add the snow peas and sugar snap peas and cook for 5 minutes. Gently stir the calamari, prawns and fish through the curry. Poach the seafood for 5–8 minutes, or until just cooked, then stir the chopped coriander through.

Serve over a mixture of cooked jasmine and basmati rice.

Beer Notes

Suitable ales include Leffe Blond, Red Hill Brewery Belgian Blonde, Tuatara Ardennes, Mad Abbot Dubbel or Feral Rust