Spiced Barramundi & Masala Fried ‘Rice’
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I’ve always had a soft spot for garam masala, both for its spicy-but-sweet undertones and for how easy it is to add to fish, chicken, a stew or rice. When I feel like something a little lighter for dinner, I find some cauliflower ‘rice’ is the perfect happy medium for being both satiating and easy on my digestion.
Ingredients
- 60 ml (2 fl oz/1⁄4 cup) ghee, melted, or extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1⁄8 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1⁄8 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 300 g (101⁄2 oz) skinless barramundi fillet
- lemon wedges, to serve
- For the Masala Fried ‘Rice’:
- 400 g (14 oz) cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 2 tablespoons ghee or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 20 g (3⁄4 oz/1⁄4 cup) flaked almonds
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 long green chilli, seeded & finely sliced
- 1⁄2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1⁄8 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1⁄8 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 handful coriander (cilantro) stems & leaves, coarsely chopped
- 1 handful mint, coarsely chopped
- 1 handful flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
- sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Combine the ghee, lemon juice and spices in a medium bowl. Add the barramundi and rub the spice mixture over the fish to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Place the fish on the pre-lined tray. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes until it is just cooked through and flakes easily. Remove from the oven, cover to keep warm and set aside.
- While the fish is cooking, prepare the fried ‘rice’. Blend the cauliflower in a food processor until it forms rice-sized grains.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee in a large frying pan over a high–medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it caramelises to a dark brown colour, but isn’t burnt. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Heat the remaining ghee in the pan and cook the almonds for 1–2 minutes until they begin to turn golden. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli, garam masala, turmeric and chilli powder and cook for 1 minute, or until the almonds are golden, the ginger and garlic have softened and the spices are fragrant. Add the mix to the bowl with the onions.
- Add the cauliflower rice to the pan and cook on a medium–high heat, stirring frequently, for 3–4 minutes until the cauliflower is just tender and heated through. Stir through the onion, almond and spice mix to combine.
- Flake the fish into bite-sized chunks and add it to the cauliflower rice along with the coriander, mint and parsley. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve with some lemon wedges.
