South Indian clam chowder

The local markets in Goa sell wonderful fresh seafood, so for the menu at Antares, I put a local spin on this American classic, spicing things up and using coconut milk instead of cream.

South Indian clam chowder Credit: My Second Restaurant in India

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1-2 tsp ghee or oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 5 fresh curry leaves (optional)
• ½ small onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 green chilli, pierced with the tip of a knife (optional)
• 150 ml coconut milk
• 150 ml water
• 150 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 60 g corn kernels, fresh or frozen and defrosted, and charred briefly in a grill pan
• lots freshly ground black pepper
• 100 g rawas (see note) or snapper, skinned
• large handful baby spinach or large handful whole leaf spinach, shredded
• 200 g clams
• Bread, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the oil or ghee in a non-stick saucepan.
2. Add the mustard seeds; once they splutter, add the curry leaves, onion and chilli. Cook for 40 seconds, then add the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil.
3. Add the potatoes and freshly charred corn, bring back to a boil, cover and cook until the potatoes are soft (about 10 minutes).
4. Mash a few pieces of potato to help thicken the soup or adjust the consistency of the soup, if necessary, by adding a little extra water.
5. Adjust the seasoning by adding salt and pepper to taste (for the menu in Goa, we add a lot of pepper, to suit the local palates). Add the fish and spinach, cover and simmer on a low heat for 3–4 minutes or until the fish is cooked and flakes easily. Add the clams for the final two minutes – they only need a minute or two, just enough to open the shells.  

Note

• Rawa, also known as Indian salmon, is a very popular fish in India. It has pinkish-white flesh and a firm texture. Use snapper or similar.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.