Instructions: On the eastern side of the Indian peninsula, fronting the Bay of Bengal, is Madras, the capital of Tamil Nadu state.

This recipe from that cosmopolitan city
is typically made with sardines, mackerel, and crab, but we have substituted orange roughy for a more delicately flavored dish.

2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
four (6-ounce) orange roughy fillets
1 1/2 teaspoons brown or black mustard seeds 2 medium onions
2 small fresh serrano chilies
1 cup packed fresh cilantro sprigs
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a small cup stir together salt and turmeric and sprinkle on both sides of orange roughy fillets. Let fillets stand at cool room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, 10 minutes.

With a mortar and pestle or in an electric coffee/spice grinder coarsely grind mustard seeds. Coarsely chop onions and, wearing protective gloves, chop serranos. In a food processor coarsely grind onions, serranos, cilantro, and coconut, scraping down side occasionally. In a bowl dissolve tamarind concentrate in water, stirring.

In a 10- to 12 inch heavy skillet heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook mustard seeds about 30 seconds. Stir in onion mixture and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Add fillets and cook 1 minute on each side. Add tamarind mixture and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until fish is just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.

Serves 4.

[[some use halibut; some use salmon. some use coconut milk instead of coconut and water.]]

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