Recipe of the week: cod, dhal, cauliflower, lime pickle, onion bhaji, coriander

Pre-heat the oven to 100ºC and place a small tray of boiling water in the bottom of it.

Heat a little vegetable oil in a non-stick pan. Add the fish portions to the pan, skin-side down, making sure not to over-crowd them or you will lose too much heat from the pan and the fish will poach rather than colour.

Allow the fish to take on a nice golden-brown colour on one side and then turn the fish over in the pan before transferring it to an oven tray.

Place the oven tray into the oven and cook it for four to six minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet, until the fish is cooked to your liking. I use a temperature probe at the restaurant to guarantee every piece of fish is cooked how I like it for any given dish.

Dhal

250g red lentils

800g-900g water

100g vegetable oil

1 onion, diced

25g ginger root

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1tsp garam masala

1tsp ground turmeric

1tsp ground coriander

1 cinnamon stick

3 tomatoes, chopped

Fermented chilli sauce to taste

Salt

Put the lentils into a pan with the water and bring it to the boil. Cook the lentils for around 20 minutes until they are tender. Whisk the lentils and water to break them down a little.

Heat the oil in a separate pan and cook the onion, ginger and garlic until they have browned evenly. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for five minutes then add them to the lentils. Cook the lentils for a further 10 minutes and then remove them from the heat. Season with salt as required.

Lime pickle

3tsp agar agar

1tbs asafoetida powder

½tsp chilli powder

200g caster sugar

200g water

200g lime juice

Mix the agar agar with the spices and caster sugar in a bowl. Put the water into a pan and whisk in the sugar mix. Leave to rehydrate for five minutes. Place the pan on the heat and slowly bring it to the boil. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool for five minutes. Pour the contents of the pan into a container and whisk in the lime juice. Set the mix aside to cool, then place it in the fridge to set fully. Cut the set mix into small cubes and process in a blender until you have a smooth purée.

Bhajis

2 onions

½tbs salt

1 chilli

2 garlic cloves, crushed

10g ginger root, finely diced

20g unsalted butter, melted

30g rice flour

60g gram flour

½tsp fennel seeds

½tsp onion seeds (nigella)

½tsp ground turmeric

½tsp kashmiri chilli powder

1tsp-2tbsp water

Slice the onions and place them into a bowl with the salt. Gently massage the salt into the onions and set them aside for an hour to let the onions release their juices. Add the remaining ingredients, except the water, to the onions and mix. Now add enough water to make a slightly sticky dough.

Deep-fry spoonfuls of the mix at 180ºC for two to three minutes, turning occasionally, until crispy on the outside.

To finish

60g vegetable oil

1tsp turmeric powder

1tsp garam masala

1tsp cumin seeds

1tsp coriander seeds

1tsp caster salt

1 cauliflower, cut into florets

Mix the oil and spices together in a large bowl and add the cauliflower florets, coating them well. Spread the florets onto a tray and cook in the oven at 200ºC for 10-12 mins. To serve, place a spoonful of dhal on each plate, top with individual portions of cod and serve with the bhajis, cauliflower and lime pickle.

• Taken from The Shore by Bruce Rennie.