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| It became overcast by the time we sat to eat |
Red and green capsicum made an appearance in the kitchen for lunch too after the red and green capsicum bejewelled aglio fried eggs that I made for breakfast. I had the kitchen to myself once again and enjoyed the solitude with Alexa playing the best of Sting to me. Little Nimki had joined his elder brother, Baby Loaf, in the bedroom for a catnap.
I took out the rawas (Indian salmon), that I had bought from Poonam of Khar fish market last Sunday, which I had thawed earlier in the day. Chopped red and green capsicum. Took out the sauces that I planned to use. The Thai chilli paste from Seefah, Bandra, and the Lee Kum Kee dark soya sauce. Vegetable oil, peanuts and sesame seeds.
I put to boil the soba that our friend Harshad had got for us from Busan last year when he went to judge an advertising festival. K was supposed to go this year but the pandemic made it an online affair and our first trip to Korea remains in suspended animation.
I heated a tablespoon of vegetable oil in the wok. Added a teaspoon of Thai chilli paste and spread it out into the oil. I gently placed the boneless fillets of rawas after wiping them dry first.
Turned these over gently after 20 odd seconds. Added the capsicum onto the empty surface of the wok. Drizzled in some soya sauce for seasoning. Gently turned the fish again and capsicum too.
Once almost done, I added some unsalted peanuts and sesame seeds. Turned them around in the wok for a couple of seconds while Sting sung, ‘don’t stand so close to me.’ Yes, you should never overcrowd the pan while cooking.
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| Without soba for me |
Lunch was ready. I added some fresh green chillies for colour as I plated it in the kitchen and got it to the hall to eat. K was on work calls through breakfast and lunch but did say that she enjoyed both meals.
I was rather happy with how they turned out too.
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| On a bed of soba for me |
I found this dish rather symbolic in a sense and hence the title of the post. Chef Seefah is from Bangkok while her husband, chef Karan, is from Mumbai. The city where I first came across rawas. I believe it’s called gurjali maachh in Bangla and ‘Indian salmon’ in posh restaurants. The song reference is from Sting.
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| With chefs Seefah and Karan at Seefah before the pandemic |
From the #FinelyChoppedKitchen
From the #HouseOfCats
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| But some writing first |
The number of Poonam. She is delivering fish in Bandra, Khar these days: 9867402956
Soundtrack in the #FinelyChoppedKitchen today
The Police. Don’t stand so close to me.
Sting: If I ever lose my faith in you.
