DIWALI menu (mains) - Fish and prawn breyani

Serves 6-8

INGEDIENTS:

15ml red chilli powder

salt

1kg firm white fish, cut into portions

65ml sunflower oil

1 cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

5ml cumin seeds

1 onion, finely chopped

7ml coarse salt

20ml crushed garlic

30ml red chilli powder

400g chopped tomatoes

10ml ground cumin

10ml ground coriander

2ml turmeric

125ml fresh cream

4 potatoes, sliced into rounds and fried

250ml cooked lentils

900ml cooked basmati rice, cooled

100g butter, melted

250ml boiling water

oil for frying

1kg prawn tails

METHOD:

Rub red chilli and salt over the fish steaks. Leave to marinate in fridge. Heat the oil in a pot, add the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. When the spices are fragrant, add the cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add the onion and salt. Sauté until the onion is light golden brown. Add the crushed garlic, stir for a few seconds, and then add the red chilli powder. Add the chopped tomatoes followed by ground cumin, coriander and turmeric. Simmer until the tomatoes soften. Add the cream. Layer the potatoes and half the lentils over the tomatoes in the pot. Next add the cold basmati rice and the remaining lentils. Drizzle the melted butter over the rice. Add the boiling water and steam on low until rice is heated through. Heat some oil in a separate pan and fry the fish until golden brown. Place the fish over the rice. Lastly, sauté the prawn tails until cooked. Season with salt and scatter them over the rice. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and leave to infuse for a minute. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.