Kachumbar sounds unfamiliar but actually it is not something new for most of us. It is a salad in Indian cuisine consisting of fresh chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, chili with coriander leaves and a dash of vinegar or lemon juice for that sour tang. The concept of the dish is similar to that of tomato salsa. The first time I tasted kachumbar was at a tasting event in London, at the Cinnamon restaurant stall that offers modern Indonesian cuisine. You can also find it in African countries, where it is known as kachumbari. Kachumbar is delicious as a starter or main course with chicken breast, or fillet fish. It has a nice texture and taste.
Barramundi, or Asian seabass, is a fish that lives in both fresh water and salt water. Freshwater barramundi is greenish blue on the upper body with tail fins that are dark brown to black. Saltwater barramundi has a silvery body and yellow fins. It is delicious with its white flaky soft texture and also rich in omega 3. It is a versatile fish. You can grill, roast, fry, pan-fry or steam it with different herbs and spices. It is not a local fish but is available in markets these days as it is locally cultivated in sea pens.
For this week’s recipe I have pan-fried barramundi and kachumbar. It is light, easy to make, and tantalizing for your taste buds. Enjoy!
Pan-fried baramundi with eggplants, tomato, mashed potatoes and kachumbar
The simplicity of this dish makes it great because much of it can be prepared in advance. You may replace the barramundi with chicken breast, red snapper or prawn. Serves 4
Ingredients
•4 fillets of barramundi, 150gr each; 3 tablespoons lime juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed; salt and black pepper to season; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
•For vegetables: 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped; 2 eggplants, around 300gr; 2 large potatoes, around 360gr, peeled, chopped roughly and boiled; 2 large tomatoes; juice of 1 lime; salt and black pepper to season.
•For kachumbar: 1 medium cucumber, deseeded and finely diced; 2 large tomatoes, deseeded and finely diced; 50gr or 5 shallots, peeled and finely chopped; 2-3 bird-eye chili peppers, or add more if you like it spicy; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1.5 to 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1 teaspoon sugar; salt and black pepper to taste.
Directions:
1.Prepare the vegetables first. Cut the eggplants into 1x1cm cubes and season with salt.
2.Heat a frying pan, add 2 tablespoons of oil, add the eggplants and cook until soft in low heat. Add the garlic and tomatoes, cook for 2-3 minutes and season with salt and black pepper.
3.To make the kachumbar: simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl except, the oil and lime juice. Cover the bowl with cling film and place it in the refrigerator until you need it.
4.Reheat the potatoes if you have cooked them in advance.
5.To cook the fish: make sure it is out of refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Season it with salt, lime juice and oil. Heat a frying pan and add two tablespoons of oil and place the fish fillet on it. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side.
6.Season the fish with fennel and black pepper. You may turn the heat off but leave it on the pan to keep it warm.
7.Reheat the eggplants and tomato mixture.
8.Remove the kachumbar from the refrigerator and add the oil and lime juice. Add salt if needed.
9.Mash the potatoes with fork and mix with the eggplant mixture. Season with salt and black pepper.
10.To serve: Place 2-3 tablespoons of the mashed potato mixture into the center of four serving plates and place the fish on top. Place the kachumbar around the plate. Garnish with some coriander leaves and grated carrots. Serve immediately.
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