Fehmz’s ‘Aunty Pinky’s fish and rice’. (Photo: Donna Lewis) Fehmz writes in her book, in introducing this recipe: “We often visited friends in Westville, Durban, where we knew two special families. The Vawdas lived in a beautiful house on stilts – he a banker, she a lecturer, and I share a name with their daughter.
“Across the road lived uncle Yagen and Aunty Pinky. He owned a cosmetics store and nightclub, which amazed my young self. Their home was built against the mountain with a salt water pool and a playroom with a pool table – a dream party house to me!
“Aunty Pinky’s cooking was always a highlight, especially her fish breyani. Years later her daughter Ashenka kindly shared this recipe with me.”
And now, thanks to Fehmz’ fame and massive social media following, you and I and pretty much anyone else in the world can make Aunty Pinky’s fish and rice for supper, whenever we feel like it.
Just one of many reasons to buy this book and for Fehmz to knock my book off the top of the charts. Again.
Ingredients
4 Tbsp oil
1 tsp green ginger garlic (the recipe for which is in her book, and comprises two parts garlic to one part ginger, with oil and salt)
½ tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
Salt, to taste
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp fennel seed powder (you can substitute with caraway seeds)
6 slices of any fish with no or minimal bones, that doesn’t break easily
To sauté:
½ cup ghee
2 Tbsp oil
3 bay leaves
6-10 curry leaves
3 green chillies, ground
1 large onion, sliced into half rings
1 cinnamon stick
2 green chillies, sliced into rings
2 tsp chopped garlic
Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
For layering:
2 cups basmati rice, pre-cooked
2 cups dhania (coriander leaves), chopped
2-3 potatoes, sliced into thick rings and fried in ghee until half cooked
½ cup ghee
2 green chillies, slit lengthways
2-4 fried onions
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Add the oil to a bowl with the ginger and garlic paste and all the dry spices, and mix well.
Rub the mixture onto the slices of fish and place them on a baking tray.
Bake the fish in the oven for 10-15 minutes until tender, turning once.
In a large flat pot on medium heat, add the ghee, oil, bay leaves, curry leaves, ground chillies, onion and cinnamon stick and sauté until fragrant. Add the garlic and lemon juice.
Add the rice to the mixture and toss gently until fully incorporated.
Stir through the dhania. Taste for salt and add more if necessary.
Remove almost all the rice, leaving a layer at the bottom and dish it into an ovenproof dish.
Place the baked fish over the layer of rice. Then add another layer of rice, arrange the potatoes on top and finish with the last of the rice.
Top with more dhania, the green chillies and fried onions as well as 2-4 tablespoons of ghee.
Cover with wet, crumpled baking paper, then with foil, and steam for 40 minutes in the oven on 170°C or on the stove on a very low heat. DM
Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the Year award.
Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks.