4 MOUTHWATERING DISHES FOR FATHER’S DAY

Heart-and-soul-warming dishes to make for Dad on Father’s Day, from Cariema Isaacs’ new book, Curried. Serve with love!

FISH FILLETS WITH GINGER AND COCONUT CURRY
Serves 4

I stumbled across this online recipe by chef Patric Jamon of Villa Deevena restaurant in Los Pargos, Costa Rica. One of the reasons I adore it is because it makes me reminisce about culinary school. The vegetables for this dish have to be julienned, which means they are cut into very thin strips.

INGREDIENTS

4 x 170g cod or angelfish fillets, skin removed
Salt to taste
2 tsp (10ml) freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp (20ml) olive oil
1 large leek, white portion only, trimmed and cut into 5cm segments and julienned (about 1 cup)
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
½ thumb-sized piece fresh turmeric, peeled and finely grated, or 1 tsp (5ml) ground turmeric
1 small carrot, peeled and julienned
½ cup (125ml) snow peas, julienned
½ cup (125ml) fresh or frozen green peas
1 tin (400ml) coconut milk
½ tsp (2,5ml) fish sauce
1 tsp (5ml) red chilli paste
1 ½ Tbsp (22,5ml) red curry paste
2 sprigs fresh coriander, for garnishing

TIP
Keep the curry sauce at a gentle simmer, rather than a vigorous boil, when reducing the coconut milk, to ensure that it doesn’t curdle. Red curry paste varies in intensity depending on the brand, so adjust the amount to taste.

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 100˚C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Season the fish generously with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 2 tsp (10ml) of the olive oil in a large pan on medium to high heat.
4. Add the fish and fry until golden on both sides –about 3 minutes per side.
5. Transfer the fish to the baking tray and place in the oven to keep warm while you prepare the rest of the dish.
6. In the same pan, add the remaining oil and heat on a medium to high setting.
7. Add the leek and sauté for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly golden.
8. Add the ginger and turmeric and sauté for a minute or so, stirring frequently.
9. Add the carrot, snow peas and green peas and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.
10. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
11. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, chilli paste and curry paste to the same pan and bring to a simmer on medium heat.
12. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid is further reduced.
13. Stir in the cooked vegetables and heat for about 1 minute until warmed through.
14. Divide the fish among shallow serving bowls and spoon the sauce and vegetables over the fish.
15. Garnish with fresh coriander and sliced chilli and serve hot with rice.

Related article: Yellow chicken curry recipe

THAI RED BEEF STIR-FRY CURRY
Serves 4–6

This is a quick and easy recipe, but it is big on taste and provides instant warmth. It’s ideal for those laid-back wintry days when I really don’t want to disturb my lazy spell or my binge-watching addiction to a series on Netflix! I need only spend 20–30 minutes in the kitchen to rustle up this little bowl of comfort.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp (30ml) peanut, coconut or canola oil
750g fillet steak, thickly sliced into strips (use 1 tsp tenderiser and massage into the beef strips)
2 Tbsp (30ml) garlic and ginger paste
¼ cup (60ml) Thai red curry paste
2 small red onions, quartered (or white if preferred)
1 medium-sized red pepper, seeded and portioned the same size as the onions
½ stalk lemongrass, ground until soft and fluffy (this takes just a few seconds in a spice grinder or blender)
2–3 Thai lime leaves
1 medium-size marrow or 4 baby marrows, cubed
1 cup (250ml) sugar snap/snow peas, very roughly chopped
2 small bunches Thai asparagus, cut into 3cm lengths (optional)
2 tsp (5ml) fish sauce
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste
1 cup (250ml) coconut cream
1 can (400ml) coconut milk
Sliced red chillies and/or fresh coriander leaves, for garnishing

TIP
The secret to a good stir-fried curry is the quality and cut of the beef. Most tender beef cuts, such as sirloin, rib-eye, top loin (strip) and ternderloin are ideal. This recipe used thinly sliced fillet steak, dusted lightly with powdered tenderiser, which assists with the beef absorbing more curry flavour.

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan on medium to high heat.
2. Add the beef and stir-fry for 3 minutes, then remove from the wok and set aside on a plate.
3. Add the garlic, ginger and curry pastes to the wok and stir until the curry paste has rendered and all the ingredients are well incorporated. This takes 3–5 minutes.
4. Add the onions, red pepper, ground lemongrass and Thai lime leaves.
5. Keep on stirring the ingredients and then add the marrow, peas and asparagus (if using).
6. Add the fish sauce and lime juice and cook for a further 1–2 minutes. Season with salt.
7. Return the beef strips to the wok and give this a good stir. Add both the coconut cream and milk, adjust the heat to high and cook for another 3 minutes or until the sauce is lush.
8. Garnish with slices of red chilli and/or coriander leaves and serve with noodles or steamed white jasmine rice.

CARROT HALWA
Serves 4–6

Carrot halwa is a traditional Indian dessert made from carrots and milk. It is rich and creamy in texture and is as popular in the Middle East as it is in India. This comforting, warm dessert is ideal for the winter and autumn months, when temperatures have dropped, and the body yearns for a bit of warmth.

INGREDIENTS

500g (4–6) medium-size carrots, peeled, rinsed and grated
2 cups (500ml) full cream milk
3 Tbsp (45ml) ghee or clarified butter (butter that’s been heated and the froth removed)
¼ cup (60ml) flaked almonds
180g white sugar
1/4 tsp (1,25ml) ground cardamom (or 3 large cardamom pods, husked and ground)
1 Tbsp (15ml) flaked almonds, lightly toasted, for garnishing

TIP
Don’t be tempted to increase the quantity of sugar when you do a taste test while the halwa is hot, as your taste buds will not be able to judge the sweetness. Instead, scoop out a teaspoonful, cool it, taste it and then adjust the sugar to your individual taste.

METHOD
1. Place the grated carrots and milk in a medium-size saucepan on medium heat and simmer for 7–10 minutes.
2. Don’t be alarmed if the mixture appears to be curdled, it’s perfectly okay. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Heat another medium-size pan on medium heat. Add the ghee or clarified butter and cook for about a minute until it is melted.
4. Add the flaked almonds and fry them until they have a deep golden brown appearance.
5. Transfer the cooked carrots and milk mixture to the pan with the fried almonds.
6. Add the sugar and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring intermittently to prevent scorching.
7. Simmer gently until all the moisture has evaporated.
8. The halwa is ready when the ghee begins to leave the sides of the pan and the colour of the mixture has transformed into an intense orange colour.
9. Stir in the cardamom powder.
10. Serve hot, with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and garnish with toasted almond flakes.

NOTE: Clarified butter is butter that has been heated, and then the foam removed from the top.

Related article: Healthy dishes for diabetics

CHOC POTS
Serves 6–8

This is a silky smooth and velvety rich dessert, which means it’s best served in smaller portions! This makes it perfect to serve with winter and autumn curries. It’s a versatile recipe because you can enjoy it as is or dunk anything from pretzels, marshmallows, wafers, fruit or your favourite biscuits into it.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (500ml) double cream
1/4 cup (60ml) or 1/2 cup (120ml) sugar, depending on taste
200g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 egg yolks, whisked
3 Tbsp (45ml) espresso or strong black coffee
50g unsalted butter, diced
½ tsp (2,5ml) sea salt flakes, for garnishing

TIP
Add espresso or any strong coffee to the mixture. You’ll only need about 3 tablespoons. To make the dessert more kiddie friendly, substitute the coffee or espresso with Milo or Horlicks.

METHOD
1. Heat the cream in a saucepan on medium to high heat, until you see bubbles appearing around the edges of the saucepan.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the sugar and chocolate. Allow the chocolate to melt for a minute or two and then stir the cream and chocolate until the mixture is smooth and lush.
3. Add half of the whisked egg yolks to the saucepan and mix this thoroughly until smooth.
4. Add the rest of the whisked yolks and mix again until smooth.
5. Add the coffee and butter and fold into the mixture until the butter has melted.
6. Pour the chocolate custard into eight half-cup ramekins or espresso cups and allow to cool to room temperature or chill in the fridge.
7. Sprinkle each portion with a few sea salt flakes just before serving.