Maldivian tuna curry

I love sitting on old chairs at the beach, feet dug deep into the sand, with a cold beer, and enjoying a seafood meal at sunset. With no travel this year, I decided to bring some beach cuisine to my kitchen. I knew very little about Maldivian cuisine until I got this beautiful cookbook. The book is about the sea, Indian-influenced spices, and coconut-based cuisine. The flavours vary with the cuisines of the islands, influenced by proximity, conquerors and sea trade routes. This curry is delicious! The tuna is cooked in a tangy, coconut-based curry that is mildly spiced. The flavours tend to linger on your palate in a warm glow, accentuating the flaky fish. We served this curry with white rice, basmati, and it made for the perfect pairing. All that was missing was the sand, sunset and beer!

This cookbook is unique on my bookshelf; it brings me island flavours from the coasts of Africa and India, adding a new dimension. This bright and fun cookbook enhances my table with the cuisine and culture of the Maldives and the surrounding islands from this region. A mix of beautiful flavours from India and Africa with a tropical twist makes every dish in this book amazing.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds, toasted and crushed in a mortar and pestle

1 tablespoon coconut oil, or neutral cooking oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ginger paste

10 curry leaves

1 green chilli, cut into circles, or to taste

1 onion, finely sliced

1/2 teaspoon anise seed, toasted and crushed in a mortar and pestle

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 cinnamon stick, about 2 inches

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 can,14 oz., coconut milk

Salt to taste 1/2 lb tuna steaks, cut into 1-inch cubes

Cilantro, minced

Salt the tuna and set aside.

On a large saucepan add the oil and heat on a medium flame. Add the cardamom, garlic, ginger paste, curry leaves and green chillies. Sauté for 1 minute till fragrant. Add the onions and continue to sauté until they are golden, about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to burn the spices; you may need to adjust the heat for this step. Add the remaining spices, except the cinnamon stick, and sauté for an additional 1 minute, until you achieve a beautiful aroma. Remove from the heat and let it cool down.

Transfer the paste to a blender and purée till very smooth. You may need to add some water to help the paste slide down the sides of the blender, but keep the amount to a minimum.

Add the purée back to the pot, then add the coconut milk, cinnamon stick, and salt. Bring the mixture back to a gentle simmer. Do not boil the curry, it may split. Simmer for 10 minutes till the coconut has cooked and integrated into the sauce. Taste and adjust salt. The curry can be set aside at this point.

When you are ready, bring the curry back to a simmer, if cooled, and add the tuna steaks. Mix in and simmer for 10 minutes till the tuna is just cooked through and very flaky.

Serve immediately, topped with cilantro and with white rice.