Test Match Machli Salan ( A Nice Fish Curry)

There's nothing nicer than watching the Pakistan team playing test match cricket while having a good meal.  What do you think about the new test captain, Misbah-ul-Haq?  I personally am hoping for a Younis Khan comeback.   Thumbs down for Ijaz Butt.  Boooooooo!  As my friends in Morocco say "He must go."  Oh well,  we'll see what happens in the UAE during the Pakistan/South Africa series.  Go Pakistan!

Here's a little urdu lesson:  a salan is like a stew.  For some reason, english speakers call salans "curry".  From now on, I will not use the word "curry" to describe my dishes.  I will use the word salan.  The word machli means "fish".  So now you know two urdu words.  Not only do I aim to entertain, I educate.

This is a very easy yet very delicious recipe. Thanks to my fabulous mother-in-law, Sophia, who is the world's best chef!

1 onion, chopped ( the onion can be diced and fried to give a deeper flavour to the dish)

1 red tomato, chopped

5 - 10 cloves of garlic

2 teaspoons fresh chopped ginger ( use more if you want )

a pinch of tumeric

some chilli (cayenne) powder (more for more heat) (pakistanis call it LAL MIRCH)

salt

2 or more tablespoons of oil

water, 1 or 2 cups depending on the thickness desired.

a bunch of chopped cilantro (coriander)

1/2 kilo of fish, cut into 2 inch cubes ( swordfish works nicely, as does salmon) and washed if necessary!

1. Grind onion, tomato, garlic, ginger,turmeric, chilli powder and salt into a paste. Use the blender.

2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the paste.

3. Cook until the paste reduces into a very thick paste.

4. Add the fish, fry it in the reduced paste, turn it over 2 or 3 times.

5. Add water, and simmer a few minutes.

If you want the curry to be watery, serve it with rice.

If you want the curry to be thick, reduce it, and serve with naan or pita bread.

6. Add chopped cilantro at the very end.

7. Eat.

Hooray!  We get Test Match Machli in the UAE!!!!  We only got sandwiches in England!