I am going to teach you the most amazing Goan Trout recipe! it was taught to me by my father when I was about seven. He was a real hippy in his day and travelled to Goa in his college years. He met my hippy mother there and this is the first meal they ate together. Well almost - the original recipe was some sort of white salt/fresh water fish he didn't recognise but we have always made it with trout which we caught in the creek behind our house.
I have made it with many different types of fish but the mild flavour and tender meat of fresh trout is in my opinion as good as it gets. Feel free to experiment though. You may disagree.
4 1 2 Grinder
This is now one of my wife's favourite recipes. However, although I loved it as a kid, my kids have still failed to see the attraction!
Therefore I have written this recipe as a romantic dinner for two - just as my parents had all those years ago and my wife and I still enjoy now.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
(Serves 2)
INGREDIENTS for Goan Trout
2 Very fresh trout slit three times with a sharp knife on both sides
2 Tablespoons garlic and ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
Tempering Ingredients
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
10 fresh curry leaves (If you cannot find fresh curry leaves, use 20 dried)
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
Cooking Marinade
10 black peppercorns
10 cloves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
5 small red dried chilies
5 cloves of garlic
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
To make the garlic and ginger paste
Place 5 cloves of garlic and a one inch piece of ginger in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar. Add about a tablespoon of water and grind to a paste. add the salt and chilli powder.
Marinade the trout
Rub the ginger/garlic paste onto the trout - both inside and out. Be sure to press it into the slits in the skin.
Let the fish marinade in the garlic and ginger mix for about an hour.
Now make the cooking marinade.
Pour the whole dry spices into a frying pan and roast over medium heat. When they begin to smoke, take off the heat.
In a spice grinder or pestle and mortar add the dry spices to the garlic, vinegar and salt and sugar. Grind to a fine paste.
To cook
Preheat your oven to 200c / 400f
When you are ready to impress your significant other. heat the oil in a frying pan large enough to hold both of the trout. When the oil is very hot, throw in the black mustard seeds and curry leaves
When the mustard seeds begin to pop, place the fish in the oil and let it cook for about two minutes per side.
Carefully remove the fish from the pan and place on a baking tray. Cover the top side of the fish with the cooking marinade and place in the oven.
Allow to cook in the oven for eight to ten minutes.
Enjoy with a tossed green salad.
This Goan trout is amazing!