Tilapia Coconut Stew with Carrots, Chickpeas and Eggplant

I've been terrible at posting and I can only blame summer school and the big move. Secretly, I've also been obsessed with decorating the new house and the new garden. More importantly, I've been looking at adopting a puppy which is turning out to be a very long process and I hope it moves smoothly. This week post deserves a big mention to the Cooking Channel's Anjum Anand of "Indian Food Made Easy". Her enthusiasm and energy in showcasing the enormous variety of Indian food beyond the usual Butter Chicken or Tandoori Chicken is invigorating. Inspired by her show, I thought that I would prepare a Tilapia coconut stew on the weekend. The spices might sound a bit intimidating but they are really not and are so easy to find at any grocery store. The fish and the vegetables absorb the flavors along with lemon juice and coconut. This was a fast and simple way to get rid of the 2 Japanese eggplants lying in my refrigerator. Now if only I can get a bit better at posting regularly...

6 Tilapia fillets

1 cup grated coconut 

1 can garbanzo/chick peas - rinsed and drained

2 sliced Japanese Eggplants

1 teaspoon ground red chili powder

1 teaspoon anise seeds

2 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 teaspoon white/yellow mustard seeds

1 teaspoon dried lemon grass

1 teaspoon sambar powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 fresh limes

Salt to season

Chopped Parsley to garnish

Olive oil

1 cup water

Grind the mustard seeds (reserve 1 teaspoon of the black mustard seeds aside to temper in the oil), chili powder, anise seeds, turmeric, lemon grass and salt to make a dry rub. Pat each fish fillet dry and then coat each of them evenly with the spice rub and let them marinade for at least 1 hour (not more than 4 hours) in the refrigerator. Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick skillet and then sear the fish fillets on each side for 2 minutes and then keep them aside.

In another pan, heat up two teaspoons of olive oil and when the oil is smoky add the remaining mustard seeds that were reserved earlier. They will start to sputter and then reduce the flame and add the grated coconut and sambar powder and toast the coconut for about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, eggplant, carrots and chickpeas and stir them into the coconut and let them cook for another 5 minutes. Pour the water and mix it in with the vegetables. Squeeze the juice of the limes and mix it in. Now layer the seared fish on top of the vegetables and put a lid on the pan. Let the dish simmer for about 20 minutes till all the carrots are cooked and tender. Carefully blend the fish and the rest of the curry (It is completely okay if they fish fillets break during the cooking). Serve warm with white rice and garnish with the chopped parsley.