Curry Fish Pie
A South African Cape Malay curry fish pie filled with fish, onions, raisins, and almonds, topped with custard.
Ingredients
salt
2 tsp
high-quality curry powder (increase if you prefer a stronger flavor)
about 2.5 tbsp
milk (heated to about 120°F / 50°C)
about 1.5 cup
Rich Pie Dough (see page 128)
double portion
lemon or kaffir lime leaves (washed, spray removed)
8 to 10 slices
ground turmeric
1 tbsp
milk
1 cup
fresh white breadcrumbs (made by cubing and crushing a crustless baguette or Italian stick)
about 1.5 cup
warm milk
1 cup
sugar
1 tbsp
apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp
golden raisins
about 0.5 cup
vegetable oil (such as canola oil)
about 0.33 cup
onion (10-12 oz / 257-350 g, peeled and chopped)
1
garlic (peeled and grated)
3 cloves
fish fillets (firm-fleshed such as cod or flounder, cut into 1 cm cubes)
1.5 lb (700 g)
mango chutney (chopped if the pieces are large)
about 0.5 cup
sliced almonds (toasted and roughly chopped)
about 0.5 cup (3 oz / 75 g)
large eggs
5
Instructions
1
Prepare the Pie Crust
Place the dough on a floured work surface and shape it into a rectangle. Sprinkle the dough with flour, press down, and roll it out as instructed on page 129. If using a baking pan, measure its width and depth. The width of the dough should equal the pan width plus twice the depth plus 1.5 inches (4 cm); calculate the length the same way. For a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) pan, the dough should be approximately 15x19 inches (38x48 cm).
2
Fit the Dough into the Pan
Fold the dough in half lengthwise and transfer it into the pan, aligning the fold with the center of the pan. Unfold the dough into the pan and press it snugly against the bottom and sides. Trim the excess dough from the edges, leaving only 1 inch (2.5 cm) hanging over the rim.
3
Soak the Breadcrumbs
Soak the breadcrumbs in the warm milk and set aside.
4
Cook the Onions
In a wide skillet, combine the oil, onion, and garlic over medium heat. Once the onions begin to sizzle, reduce the heat to low and cook until the onion and garlic are soft and just beginning to color, about 15 minutes.
5
Preheat the Oven
While the onions are cooking, place a rack on the lowest oven position and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
6
Cook the Fish
Add the fish evenly to the pan and sprinkle with the salt, curry powder, turmeric, and cloves. Stir or toss to coat the fish and distribute the seasonings evenly with the onion and garlic mixture, until the fish is thoroughly coated. Add the milk and increase to medium heat. Once the liquid begins to barely simmer, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes.
7
Make the Filling
Remove from the heat and use two forks to break the fish into large flakes. Stir in the sugar, vinegar, raisins, chutney, almonds, and soaked breadcrumbs. Taste and adjust the salt, sugar, and vinegar as needed. The filling should be slightly on the salty side, with a subtle sweetness and a noticeable tang of vinegar.
8
Fill the Crust
In a bowl, whisk the eggs until very thin, then fold them into the fish mixture with a large rubber spatula. Scrape the filling into the pie crust and trim off any excess dough that sits flush with the pan's rim.
9
Bake the Pie
Bake the pie until the filling is set and the crust is fully cooked and golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
10
Prepare the Custard
While the pie is baking, whisk together the milk and eggs to make a custard and keep it by the stove.
11
Add the Custard Topping
Remove the pie once it is baked and pour the custard evenly over the top. Sprinkle the leaves over the custard and return the pie to the oven until the custard is set, about 10 minutes. Cool the pie on a rack.
