Salmon and Cauliflower Curry with Black Cardamom Rice

This Salmon and Cauliflower Curry with Black Cardamom Rice recipe from Nisha Katona is amazing. The cardamom pods bring out a deep woody warmth in the rice, they'll change the way you cook rice forever!

Ingredients

For the curry:
  • Vegetable oil –  5 Tbsp
  • 2 large green chillies whole
  • 1 heaped tsp nigella seed
  • 1 cauliflower cut into small florets
  • 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup of frozen petit pois
  • 3 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp chilli powder
  • water 450 ml
  • Coriander powder 1 tbsp
  • English mustard paste- 1 heaped tbsp loosened with a little water
  • 1 tsp salt and add to taste
  • 1-2 tsp brown sugar to taste
  • 4 skinless salmon fillets 650 g cut into 5 cm chunks
  • 1 small bunch fresh coriander stalks and leaves finely chopped
  • Juice 1/2 lemon
For the black cardamom rice:
  • 1 builders mug of white basmati rice
  • 2 builders mugs of water
  • 3 black cardamom pods
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp veg oil

Method

For the Salmon and Cauliflower Curry:

Put half the oil in a large wok style deep pan and when hot add the nigella seeds-fry for 30 sec. Then add the green chillies

As soon as they start to fry a little, turn the heat to medium and add the chopped tomato, 1 tsp turmeric powder, the chilli power and cook the tomatoes with the spices for 5 -8 minutes on a medium heat until they start to brown and the oil comes out of them.

Now add the water, salt, sugar and the cauliflower. Simmer until the cauliflower is tender.

Add the frozen peas, mustard paste and the coriander powder, the lemon juice and half the coriander. Stir through and set aside.

Meanwhile rub the chunks of salmon lightly with the remaining 2 tsp of turmeric and a good pinch of salt.

Set a large non stick frying pan over a medium high heat with the remaining oil.

When hot, flash fry the salmon and transfer the fish to the cauliflower curry pan. Return to a medium low heat and  simmer for 6-8 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked through. Do not over stir or disturb too much otherwise the salmon will break apart.

Finish with the rest of the fresh coriander and check the salt levels.

For the Black Cardamom Rice:

Heat the oil in a medium/small pan with a fitted lid- once hot add the cumin seeds.

Once they turn brown black- add the cardamom pods- fry for a few seconds.

Now throw in the unwashed rice and stir for 10 sec on a medium heat- add the water and simmer on a medium low heat until it has nearly dried out then put the lid on, switch the heat off and leave alone for 10 minutes.

Serve with the curry.

Ingredients

For the curry:
  • Vegetable oil –  5 Tbsp
  • 2 large green chillies whole
  • 1 heaped tsp nigella seed
  • 1 cauliflower cut into small florets
  • 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup of frozen petit pois
  • 3 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp chilli powder
  • water 450 ml
  • Coriander powder 1 tbsp
  • English mustard paste- 1 heaped tbsp loosened with a little water
  • 1 tsp salt and add to taste
  • 1-2 tsp brown sugar to taste
  • 4 skinless salmon fillets 650 g cut into 5 cm chunks
  • 1 small bunch fresh coriander stalks and leaves finely chopped
  • Juice 1/2 lemon
For the black cardamom rice:
  • 1 builders mug of white basmati rice
  • 2 builders mugs of water
  • 3 black cardamom pods
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp veg oil

Method

For the Salmon and Cauliflower Curry:

Put half the oil in a large wok style deep pan and when hot add the nigella seeds-fry for 30 sec. Then add the green chillies

As soon as they start to fry a little, turn the heat to medium and add the chopped tomato, 1 tsp turmeric powder, the chilli power and cook the tomatoes with the spices for 5 -8 minutes on a medium heat until they start to brown and the oil comes out of them.

Now add the water, salt, sugar and the cauliflower. Simmer until the cauliflower is tender.

Add the frozen peas, mustard paste and the coriander powder, the lemon juice and half the coriander. Stir through and set aside.

Meanwhile rub the chunks of salmon lightly with the remaining 2 tsp of turmeric and a good pinch of salt.

Set a large non stick frying pan over a medium high heat with the remaining oil.

When hot, flash fry the salmon and transfer the fish to the cauliflower curry pan. Return to a medium low heat and  simmer for 6-8 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked through. Do not over stir or disturb too much otherwise the salmon will break apart.

Finish with the rest of the fresh coriander and check the salt levels.

For the Black Cardamom Rice:

Heat the oil in a medium/small pan with a fitted lid- once hot add the cumin seeds.

Once they turn brown black- add the cardamom pods- fry for a few seconds.

Now throw in the unwashed rice and stir for 10 sec on a medium heat- add the water and simmer on a medium low heat until it has nearly dried out then put the lid on, switch the heat off and leave alone for 10 minutes.

Serve with the curry.