Roasted Monkfish with Chutney Pressed Rice (Peixe Cafreal)

This is another big winner from Atul Kochhar. We've really been feeling it for Indian food lately, and seafood as well. This is pretty easy to throw together and delivers BAGS of flavor. Clever use of vinegar here (in the masala) to bring a nice tang to the whole thing, and a good level of heat running through it.

If you are some crazy food-stalker and have been making things along with us, you could use some of the Spicy Tomato Chutney from the other night in the rice component. One note about the rice: if you can't find poha (as we could not), use basmati instead, and add some water in a bit at a time until the rice abosrobs enough to be done (add water as you need it until you achieve this doneness), then add the lime juice and the rest of it when the rice is cooked through. Delicious!

MONKFISH
4x150 g pieces of thick monkfish tail
aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
sea salt
amaranth cress, to garnish (optional)

CAFREAL MASALA
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 whole clove
4 green cardamom pods
6-7 black peppercorns
1" piece cinnamon stick
1 small blade mace
1 star anise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
3-4 garlic cloves
2 Dutch green chillies
1 small bunch coriander leaves
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons vegetable oil

POHA
150 g poha rice (pressed rice flakes)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
5-6 curry leaves
1 green chilli, slit open lengthwise
1 onion, finely chopped
1 potato, boiled until tender, then peeled and diced
4 tablespoons peanuts, skinned
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves
2-3 tablespoons SPICY TOMATO CHUTNEY
sea salt

For the cafreal masala, toast the coriander, cumin, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, mace and star anise in a dry frying pan until aromatic, then put them in a blender or food processor with the remaining masala ingredients. Blend to a paste and season with salt. Apply this paste liberally to the monkfish and leave in the fridge for 1 hour.

Put the fish on a lightly greased baking tray. place in an oven preheated to 220°C and cook for 7-9 minutes, until just done. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 2-3 minutes.

For the poha, wash the pressed rice in cold running water, then leave to soak in a bowl of water. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chilli and saute until the seeds start to pop. Immediately add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the diced potato, peanuts and turmeric and saute for 2-3 minutes. Drain the rice and stir it into the pan. Cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, (work the water into the rice here, if not using poha, until the rice is cooked) then remove from the heat and add the lime juice, chopped coriander and some salt. Stir in the tomato chutney to bring all the ingredients together.

To serve, place the poha mixture slightly off centre on each plate. Slice the monkfish and lean it on the poha, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Garnish with the amaranth cress, if using.