Cauliflower Trout

Cauliflower Trout

Ingredients

1 trout (preferably the farmed kind from Idaho)
1 Tea Spoon lemon juice
1/2 Tea Spoon turmeric
1/2 Tea Spoon salt (or less to suit your taste)
1 pea size ginger piece
2 cloves garlic
2 hot green chilies
5 curry leaves (optional)
1 Tea Spoon coriander leaves (cilantro)
2 Table Spoon oil (canola, corn any kind will do)
2 Tea Spoon curry powder (the American version that you can buy in supermarket spice section --- do not use Indian curry powder!)
5 Florets of cauliflower (this about one half of a 6-8 inch round flower. (Better yet, one box of frozen cauliflower flower lets will do just fine, thaw in a microwave before use. If you do not have a microwave just run it in hot water. If you do not have hot water, sit on it. I am just kidding.)

Method:

1. Cut the trout across (like fish steaks). A 9 inch trout will yield 4 pieces. You can use the head (not yours, the fish's) if you care. Discard the tail, please.
2. Pound the garlic, ginger, green chilies with a pestle in a mortar. If you do not have one, whack these with the bottom of a skillet with vengeance.
3. Rub the fish with the paste made in item-2 with lemon juice, salt, and 1 Tea Spoon of curry powder.
4. Let this marinate for 15 minutes. The lemon and turmeric removes the fishiness of the fish. I am assuming that one does not like fish smell. If you like the smell you will not offend my feelings.
5. In a hot (325 F) thick skillet or pan (used for pancakes like stuff) fry the fish steaks flesh side down (the side that enjoyed your knife). Then, turn it over to fry the flat body. The skin may separate. Do not panic!. This is normal. We all shed skin when fried. But then, how often have we tried that? You should not fry the fish till the skin separates as a guide. If the skin separates, throw the skin away. The fish will not mind as it is already dead. The fish steak should be intact and should not look like canned tuna flakes.
6. In a sauce pan add 1 Table Spoon spoon of oil and fry the cauliflower and if you want you can add a portion of the paste in item-2. This should be done if your spouse or significant other insists on a very flavorful dish. Otherwise, the person who is presumably enjoying this with you will complain of the mildness of the finished product till the cows come home.
7. Throw in the remainder of curry powder. About a Tea Spoon if you are keeping score. If not, just do it.
8. Sprinkle some water to cool the heat and generate some steam. Enjoy the aroma, or turn on the stove hood fan. Either way it will not influence the taste of this dish.
9. Add salt to taste. Remember the fish had its own share of salt in the marinade. Deal with that situation, calmly.
10. The cauliflower should be cooked to a point where it does not disintegrate. If it does do not worry, a broken cauliflower has yet not broken any friendships.
11. Throw in the fish and continue to steam for the flavors of the flower to penetrate the trout.
12. Garnish with cilantro.
13. Please call your mother-in-law and tell her that you really want her to enjoy this superb dish. If she is a vegetarian, just serve her the cauliflower. That is best you can do pall!