Indian food isn’t always strong and spicy and if you thought so, you’re dead wrong. In this Indian recipe, the fish is flavoured with cardamom and vanilla and swathed in the creamiest of sauces with just a hint of paprika to create an interesting and unusual taste combination. Because most of the white fish varieties are on the delicate side, this spice combination works very well and the vanilla really comes into it’s own. Make this with whatever you have available in the form of firm, white fish but please remember that it  will, probably, be a disaster with the darker and oilier fish varieties like sardines or herrings.

Ingredients

• 1,5 kg of fresh firm white fish fillets (Kingklip, Bluenose, Dorado etc – whatever you can find locally)
• 10 cardamom pods
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 vanilla pod
• 1 level tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika
• 500ml fresh homemade vegetable stock
• 500ml Noilly Prat wine
• 150 ml thick or double cream
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – go for the Columela Arbequina Spanish oil – it’s beautiful and light

Method

• Remove the black seeds from inside the cardamom pods and lightly crush them in a pestle and mortar, discarding the pods
• Warm the oil over a very low heat, add the garlic and crushed cardamom seeds and fry for until the garlic begins to soften and then pour in the wine and the stock, stirring everything together.
• Place the fish fillets in the pan and make sure that they are covered with liquid, bring them to the boil and take them off the heat immediately.
• Cover them and let them stand until the fish is opaque and cooked through to the centre – in other words, it cooks off the heat.
• Take them out of the pan and put them on a board to cover and keep them warm.
• Strain the liquid remaining in the pan through a sieve and put it back in the pan.
• Split the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds, adding them to the pan – mix very well with the juices and then add the paprika and the cream.
• Sir well and bring the liquid to a strong boil until it has reduced by 75% and thickened somewhat.
• Check and correct the seasoning, reduce the heat and add the fish.
• Serve immediately.