Red Snapper with Rice

I love Indian cooking, there's no way around. The combinations of spices, sauces and generally healthy dishses (take-away not included) just seems to hit all the right notes. So almost a month ago, I ordered Gordon Ramsay's Great Escapes (click link to see/order it on Amazon), but it somehow got lost in the post and was delayed for a couple of weeks. Now it's finally here, and I can't wait to work and eat my way through it. I'll post this recipe here as a teaser and recommend you to check out the book if you are interested in Indian cooking. Although there is a recipe for lamb korma and butter chicken, the focus of the book is more on the traditional Indian cuisine rather than the standard take away. The first recipe that came to my attention was this grilled red snapper dish which I combined with another recipe in the book for aromatic rice.

Red snapper:
4 red snapper fillets (or any other firm white fish)
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp neutral veg. oil
Rice:
300g basmati rice
2 tbsp butter
3 g raw cashew nuts
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
4 black pepper corn
1 cinnamon sick
3 cloves
1 onion, chopped
400 ml water
1 tsp salt

Prepare two red snappers by removing, scales, fins. the head and spine, but leave the skin on. Alternatively you can get your fishmonger to do it. This should leave you 4 nice fillets. Set aside for the moment.

For the rice, melt the butter and slowly toast the cashew nuts in it until lightly brown. Remove and reserve.

In the same pot, add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, black pepper corn, cinnamon sick (broken in two) and the cloves. Slowly toast it until it starts smelling all wonderful.

Add the chopped onion and fry for a few minutes until translucent.

Wash the basmati well and add them to the onion. Stir and fry the rice. This will make them more aromatic. I use a similar technique when making risotto or paella. Careful they don't stick or burn.

Pour in the water and add salt to taste. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes under lid. Then turn off heat and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Fluff up the rice with a forl and add the cashew nuts. It's ready to serve.

For the red snapper, start by slowly roasting the cumin seeds, cilantro seeds and fennel seeds on a dry pan. Keep stirring now and again so it doesn't burn. It's ready when they start giving off a wonderful smell.

Meanwhile, mix the sugar, garlic powder, paprika and salt.

Add the lemon juice and oil. Mix well to combine to a paste.

Add the dry roasted spices. Stir.

Brush the colourful paste onto the fish fillets on both sides.

Now, the original recipe calls for 5 minutes under the grill skin side up, but my grill is broken so I went ahead and fried them for 2 1/2 mintes per side in a bit of oil, just until the fish was done.

Finally, I served the red snappers with some lemon, the rice and a nan bread on the side.