Cod in Indian Spicy Tomato Sauce via Wonderful Wendy

A lovely guest post from my wonderful friend Wendy. (Note: if you can't get cod, then a white fish such as orange roughy would work well):

When I came to America I brought odd things like a teapot and a vintage quilt. And four cookbooks.  Cranks, Delia Smith, Food for Thought and Madhur Jaffrey.
Delia still has the best Victoria Sponge recipe and Food for Thought still has the best quiches. Cranks has it’s unrivaled Nut Loaf. And that very first Madhur Jaffrey has a number of things. This is one of them.

It is called “ Timatari wali maachi.”  translated as "Cod in spicy tomato sauce." Totally brilliant.

2 lbs of cod. ( I got True Cod… I avoided the Lying Cod…that is just ridiculous)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp turmeric
9 tblsp veg oil
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds ( I use double ).
6 oz onions. finely chopped.
2 or 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
14oz chopped up tinned tomatoes
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 ground roasted cumin seeds ( I had these, but if you don’t….not a problem)

pat the fish dry, rub them on both sides with the salt, turmeric, cayenne mixture. Set aside for 30 mins.

Heat oven to gas mark 4/350F/180c

Heat 4 tbsp oil. When hot put in fennel and mustard seeds.
As soon as mustard seeds pop in garlic and onions.
Stir until onions start to turn.
Put in cumin, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne.
Stir a couple of times to cook the cumin  and put in tomatoes and garam masala and roasted cumin.
Bring to boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 15 mins.

Put the remaining 5 tbsp oil in non stick frying pan. When hot put in fish until it has color on both sides…but do not cook the fish all the way through.

Put fish in some sort of baking dish and pour the tomato sauce over it and bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until you think the fish is done.

If no one is looking, lick the plate.

Serve over basmati rice, cooked with peas, onion and cumin seeds…..you’ll be very happy.