seafood

southern indian rice and seafood soup

servings
Serves 4

method

This soup was first cooked for me by Das, my friend who runs the southern Indian restaurants in London called Rasa. I've based mine around his original recipe, and what's fantastic about it is that it's so easy to make. It only takes about 30 minutes, and the other great thing is that the ingredients are not particularly expensive, so it's economical. However, if you want to spend a little more and make it a bit luxurious using something like crab, then you can. The soup is just as good with frozen prawns and flaky white fish though. Use any selection of fish that you fancy – I like to use a good mixture of fresh-looking fish (John Dory, cod, haddock or red mullet all work well). Get it skinned and filleted, then all you have to do is chop it up. If you can find any coconut oil, use that, otherwise vegetable and sunflower oil are fine to use.

This really is one of my favorite soups. It's not too hot, but as you eat it you can pick out the individual flavours. And there's something about having rice in a soup that makes it really scrumptious.
Get yourself a big pan and heat up your oil, then add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds, garam masala, chili powder and turmeric. Cook for a few minutes and you'll get the most amazing smells filling the room from all these spices. Then add the chillies, the ginger, the garlic and the onions. Continue cooking slowly until the garlic and onions are soft. Then add the rice and the water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add your fish and the coconut milk with a pinch of salt. Put the lid on the pan and simmer for a further 10 minutes, then stir well to break up the pieces of fish. Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper, then just before you serve it squeeze in the lime juice and stir in half the coriander. Serve in warmed bowls, sprinkle over some freshly grated coconut, if you have it, and rip over the rest of the coriander.

• from Jamie's Dinners

ingredients

• 5 tablespoons vegetable or sunflower oil
• 3 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
• a handful of fresh curry leaves, picked off their stalks
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1½ teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 3 red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced
• 2 large thumb-sized pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 handfuls of basmati rice
• 565ml water
• 600g fish (see introduction), skinned, fileted and cut into 2–• 3 inch chunks
• 2 x 400ml tins of coconut milk
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• juice of 2 limes
a handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• optional: 3 tablespoons freshly grated coconut

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tried this recipe or a similar one? share your tips...

1. by narjes on Fri 25 May 2012 @ 19:24

hi jamie. i do exercise at least two times a day and i dont know how can prepare my enough energy without worrying about being fat . i am 40 years old . woman and teacher . please give me some information. thanks

2. by Chris Airplays on Wed 02 Nov 2011 @ 12:36

I've also just seen that the recipe calls for 3tbsp of mustard seeds, which is mental. I'd recommend 2tsp maximum.

3. by Chris Airplays on Tue 18 Oct 2011 @ 23:27

For best results add the mustard seeds to the oil and wait until they pop, then add the cumin seeds, let them fizz and then follow Jamie's instructions.

4. by rixin novu on Sat 07 May 2011 @ 10:19

Unbelievable....a delicious soup can be so simple to make!!!<br /> Jamie,you should try Bhutanese food;it really needs some livening up, something you are absolutely good at..

5. by lulu on Wed 27 Apr 2011 @ 11:21

tried it once and doing it again.... love this soup..

6. by Harvi on Tue 09 Mar 2010 @ 12:45

Lovely soup. As Kim says, do need more than just a pinch of salt. Really tasty. I used cod.

7. by Kim on Tue 09 Feb 2010 @ 02:06

Absolutely the best soup I have ever had. We were craving an Indian/Thai flavored dish, and this did not disappoint! Definitely needed to salt it quite a bit, though.

8. by Agita on Mon 14 Dec 2009 @ 16:50

absolutely lovely soup

9. by Chris on Wed 05 Aug 2009 @ 15:59

Jamie.
This recipe rocks. Im a professional chef working on super yachts, and i have indian guests onboard.. They love all asian food. This soup is spot on.. Loving it.

Thank you..

10. by Carmen Wong Fisch on Tue 17 Feb 2009 @ 08:59

THE BEST SOUP I'VE EVER MADE! JAMIE YOU ARE A GENIUS!!! My hubby doesn't like fish, even he LOVED IT!!
THANKSSSSSSS

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