A friday fish dish...

Pondicherry, is a small region on the

southern region of India. It's uniqueness lies in the fact that there is a very prominent french influence on the culture, traditions and food of the region.

The other interesting feature of this region are the various centers of holistic healing and yoga centers some based on the vision of the Sri Aurobinda.

This fish recipe is based on something I had chanced on several year back in a restaurant named Pondicherry. The named restaurant in NYC, was an interesting concept but did not unfortunately hold its own...

Well, this recipe irrespective of its name, is a nice and simple creation for a quick supper.

Fish Pondicherry - Fish in a fragrant tomato sauce

A light and tangy fish creation, with light overtones of thyme. If you do not have thyme, you can actually use some ajowain or carom seeds.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

1 pound of wild salmon fillets, skin on

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons salt

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 teaspoons mustard seeds

1 medium white onion, peeled and cut into a dice

2-3 green chillies minced

3 tomatoes, cut into a dice

2-3 sprigs of thyme

8 basil leaves, thinly sliced

2-3 tablespoons of vinegar

Method of Preparation

1. Cut the salmon in 2 inch pieces. Rub with turmeric and half the salt.

2. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and wait for them to crackle.

3. Add the onion and the green chillies and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring freqently until the onions are soft, transluscent and wilted.

4. Add in the tomatoes and the remaining salt and thyme and cook on low heat till the tomatoes are nice and soft, this process takes about 15 minutes.

5. Stir in the basil and gently add the fish. Cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes. Do not overcook the fish, it is important for the salmon to be just moist and not dried out.

6. Stir in the vinegar and serve over rice.