Curry Baked Fish with Vindaloo Sauce and Rice
We’re making this recipe for clients this month. I’ve scaled it down here so you can make it at home!
By executive chef Brandon Foster
Serves 10-12
Rice:
3 cups rice
6 cups water
2 tsp turmeric
2tsp kosher salt
Vindaloo Sauce:
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 cups onions, diced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 Tbsp ginger, peeled and minced
2 cups water
1 cup chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
2 tsp cumin, ground
2 tsp coriander, ground
2 tsp cardamom, ground
1 tsp lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
Fish:
5 lbs whitefish filet (whatever is in season works!)
2 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp black pepper
4 Tbsp curry powder
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
To make the rice:
Bring the water to a boil on the stove, then add the rice, turmeric, and salt.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the rice. let simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked. The turmeric will give the rice a beautiful yellow color.
To make the vindaloo sauce:
Using a medium sized sauce pot, lightly saute the onions in canola oil. Once they are a little soft, add the garlic and ginger and saute for one to two minutes.
Add the water, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Using a hand blender, puree the mixture until it is nice and smooth. (If you don’t have a hand blender, you can transfer everything to a food processor or blender to puree, then pour it back in the pot.) This will be your vindaloo “paste”, the traditional base for all vindaloo sauces.
Leave the puree in the sauce pot, and add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes.
To make the fish:
Once the sauce is simmering, lay the fish out on a tray that is lined with foil.
Season the fish with salt, pepper, and curry powder.
Bake the fish for about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the filets.
Serve the fish with rice and your favorite vegetable on the side. Top with the delicious vindaloo sauce. Enjoy!
Brandon Foster began his life in the kitchen at the Best Western in Frisco, Colorado almost 18 years ago. His passion for ingredients and drive to learn technique led him down the mountain to Denver, where he worked in two of Denver’s most fondly remembered restaurants, The Fourth Story and Mel’s. He joined the crew at Vesta in 2005 as a line cook and became executive chef in 2010, focusing on getting back to the roots of cooking through charcuterie and seasonal ingredients. Ultimately, Chef Brandon’s career highlights centered on events like Plates for the Peak, Invest in Kids, and James Beard Foundation dinners where he could play a role in helping people in need- a passion that led him to Project Angel Heart in 2016. Outside of the kitchen, Chef Brandon enjoys spending time skiing, camping, golfing, and eating with his wife Larissa and their three kids.