Mark Bittmans Crunchy Curried Fish Food

MARK BITTMAN'S CRUNCHY CURRIED FISH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200°F.
• Place oven proof platter in it.
• Toss fish with vinegar.
• Combine salt, pepper, turmeric, curry powder and cayenne pepper in small bowl, then rub mixture onto both sides of each fillet.
• Pour at least 1/8" oil inot large nonstick skillet.
• Turn heat to medium high.
• Combine flour with enough warm waterto make a batter about as thick as yogurt.
• Test oil to see if it's hot enough (a piece of flour will sizzle in it).
• Turn heat to high.
• Dunk fillets into batter one at a time, letting excess batter run off, then place fish in pan.
• Do not overcrowd.
• Fry fish, rotating as necessary so filets brown evenly.
• Remove fish when golden and crisp on each side for 5 to 15 minutes.
• Keep warm on platter in oven while you cook remaining fillets.
• Sprinkle cilantro over fish.
• Serve with lime wedges.

CRUNCHY CURRIED SHRIMP OR FISH

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
• 2. Toss the shrimp or fish with the vinegar. Combine the salt, pepper, tumeric, curry powder, and cayenne, if using, and rub this mixture into the fish.
• 3. Put at least 1/8 inch of oil in a large nonstick skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Combine the flour with enough warm water to make a paste about as thick as yogurt.
• 4. When the oil is hot (a pinch of flour will sizzle), dip each piece of shrimp into the batter and cook, raising the heat to high and rotating the pieces as necessary to promote even browning, until golden and crisp on each side, 5 to 8 minutes total. Do not crowd; you will have to cook in batches. As each piece is done, keep it warm in the oven while you continue to cook.
• 5. Serve with the lime, garnish with the cilantro.

ROASTED COD AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes, and cut them into slices about 1/8-inch thick (a mandoline comes in handy here). Toss the potatoes in an 8-by-12-inch or similar size baking pan with 4 tablespoons of the oil or butter. Season the potatoes liberally, spread them evenly and place the pan in the oven.
• Cook for about 40 minutes, checking once or twice, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a thin-bladed knife and have begun to brown on top. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Turn on the broiler, and adjust the rack so that it is 4 to 6 inches from the heat source.
• Top the potatoes with the fish, drizzle with the remaining oil or butter and sprinkle with some more salt and pepper. Broil until the fish is done, 6 to 10 minutes, depending on its thickness (a thin-bladed knife will pass through it easily). If at any point the top of the potatoes begins to burn, move the pan a couple of inches farther away from the heat source.