Halibut AmbaT Konkani style

Halibut Alle Piyava Ambat (Halibut cooked in Ginger Onion gravy)

Gowd Saraswat Brahmins (GSBs) are usually referred to as "fish eating Brahmins". Apparently, our ancestors were early settlers on the banks of the mythical Saraswati river, which was once struck by a severe famine, and only fish remained to sustain them. The community leaders then decided to allow them to eat fish for survival. Fish is referred to as "Samudra Pushpa" by many.

A big section of GSBs are pure vegetarians, and most GSBs stick to a vegetarian fare even excluding onions and garlic during religious festivals and social events.

Coconuts play a very integral part in Konkani preparations, and are used as a paste, milk and in grated form in our daily cooking. In this recipe, the fish is simmered in a coconut gravy with ginger, diced onions and a slit green chilli, and it seasoned with finely chopped onions in coconut oil. Coconut curry seasoned with onions is called AmbaT.

Halibut Alle Piyava Ambat (Halibut cooked in Ginger Onion gravy)

Ingredients:

• 2 Halibut fillets (Mine were about 8 ounces each)

• 2 cups grated coconut

• 4 -5 roasted red Bedgi chillies (or couple more if you like spicy gravy)

• 1 or 2 slit green chillies

• 2 tbsps ginger, minced

• 1 and a half onion finely chopped (keep the 1/2 onion diced separately)

• 1 tbsp tamarind pulp

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 or 2 tablespoons coconut oil for the seasoning

• Salt to taste

Steps:

1. Clean and cut the fish into big bite size pieces. (I cut each fillet down the middle and cut into pieces.) I had a total of 16 fish pieces. Lightly salt the fish and apply the turmeric powder and keep aside.

2. Grind the coconut, red bedgi chillies, tamarind pulp adding enough water to make a fine paste. Add a little salt (remember, you have lightly salted the fish too)

3. Add in the slit green chilli, 1 onion finely chopped and ginger and bring to a rolling boil.

4. Slowly slide in the halibut pieces, lower the heat and simmer for at least 10 minutes.

5. Prepare seasoning - heat coconut oil, and fry the remaining chopped onions in the hot oil till nice and brown. Sprinkle over the curry. Your Halibut Alle Piyava Ambat is ready to enjoy.

Notes:

This curry can be made with any white fish like pomfret, rainbow trout, lady fish (kale), etc.

It can even be made with crabs.

Coconut Curry seasoned with onions in oil is called AmbaT.

When it is made without the seasoning, it is called Alle Piyava Ghashi.

A tablespoon of coconut oil is drizzled on the Ghashi (curry). Cooking in an earthen pot (zhaLke kuLLe’n) surely enhances the flavor of this dish.

Pomfret Alle piyava ambaT