From Anjum Anand’s Indian Food Made Easy:

This delicious recipe is my own version of the traditional Keralan way of frying fish. It works beautifully with any firm, white-fleshed fish, so find out what is fresh at your local fishmongers or supermarket fish counter. The dish isn’t as spicy as it might first appear, for the cooking mellows the flavors and they form only a thin coating on the fish.

Serves 2

2 halibut steaks or other firm white fish
2 heaped tablespoons (30ml) shredded coconut
2 heaped tablespoons (30ml) flour
1 1/2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
1/2 lemon, to serve

Marinade

3/4-1 large fat red chili, seeded and roughly chopped
1 1/4 (3cm) fresh ginger, roughly chopped
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp (10ml) white wine vinegar
2 tsp (10ml) ground coriander
8 fenugreek seeds
salt, to taste
1/4 tsp (1ml) freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp (5ml) vegetable oil

Pound or blend together the marinade ingredients to make a fine puree. Over-season the mixture slightly, as it will be absorbed by the fish. Place the fish in the marinade in a nonmetallic bowl, and leave for at least 30 minutes.

Mix together the coconut and the flour. Maintaining a generous coating of the puree, coat both sides of the fish steaks well in the dry mixture.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan and, when hot, add the fish. Cook on a low heat without moving the fish for 4 minutes, then turn over and cook on the other side for another 3-4 minutes or until done. Squeeze some lemon juice over the fish, and serve hot with a salad.

Recipe reprinted from Indian Food Made Easy, Anjum Anand, Key Porter Books, 2007.