My Goan mother always made a variety of fish dishes while my sister and I were growing up. My Malayali father learnt the ways to cook up some of these dishes and aced them! This is his recipe of the traditional Sorak Curry, which is quite similar to the original.

During the monsoons, there are certain dishes that seem more of a mandate either by habit or perhaps just the ambience. The Sorak Curry is one such dish. However, one can also make it whenever they please, cause you know there’s no rule when it comes to cravings. 🙂

INGREDIENTS:

Masala Base:
2 Onions
6-7 Garlic Cloves
1 big chunk of Ginger
1/2 tspn Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
2 tspn Coriander Powder
1/2 tspn Turmeric Powder
2 Tomatoes
8 Kashmiri Red Chillies (destemmed, blanched in hot water)

For Curry:
2-3 tblspn Oil
1/2 tspn Mustard Seeds
5-8 Curry Leaves
Coconut Milk of 1 Coconut or 1 cup fresh grated Coconut
Black Kokum Water or Tamarind Water
Salt as per taste
Fish as per preference

– Put all the masala ingredients in a blender and mix until you see a thick paste.
– In a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, blended masala and cook until the masalas are fried well. Cover with a lid with the fire on sim, occasionally stirring it. Once it seems quite dry or thickened enough, add the coconut milk or grated coconut and kokum or tamarind water, salt and bring it to a boil.
-Once the curry seems ready, add the desired fish, put the lid on and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Before adding the fish taste the curry, in case you prefer more spiciness add chillies. You’ll know your dish is ready when the oil starts to leave the curry.

Serve hot with steamed rice or bread.