Since fish cooks relatively quickly, the challenge is packing it with lots of flavor without overcooking it. Here we slip fillets into a tomato bath infused with Indian spices such as cumin and garam masala. The result: sublimely flaky fish that’s anything but bland. Mild-flavored whitefish like cod, haddock, and halibut are the perfect complement to the fragrant spices in the tomato purée. But you can swap in any other protein that feels like it could use some help in the flavor department, such as chicken breasts or tofu.
What you’ll need
Dutch Oven
$133 $80 At Amazon
Large Nonstick Skillet
$50 At Amazon
Fish Spatula
$14 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
2
1
4
1
3
1
1
1
½
1
1
4
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Season fish with some salt. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium. Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cinnamon stick, garam masala, cumin seeds, and ½ tsp. pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato purée, sugar, remaining 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ½ cup water. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, carefully add fish, and cook until fish is flaky but still firm, 8–12 minutes. Remove from heat; season with more pepper.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low. Add 2 bread slices; cook until golden brown and crisp underneath, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and 2 bread slices.
Step 3
Serve braised fish with fried bread.
