Ingredients
For the Sauce
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- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 green chilli pepper
- 1 celery stalk, 1 shallot, 4 vine ripened tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Lime for zest & juice
- 4 cardamom pods, crushed
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- Sprig of coriander and dill
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For the Fish Koftas
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- 2 mackerel filletsin olive oil and 1 tin sardines in olive oil, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1tablespoon finely grated zest (from 2 limes); cut the zested limes into wedges or juice them, for serving
- 1 green chilil pepper finely chopped
- 1egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons potato flour
- 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
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Heat olive oil, garlic and chilli half the nd a good pinch of salt over medium-low heat. Gently fry for 6 minutes and set aside.
Add celery, shallot and continue to cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Increase the heat to medium, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, lime zest and juice and the cardamom and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes
While the sauce is simmering, make the fish koftas: Add fish, pistachios, herbs, lime zest, chile and egg to a bowl with 3 tablespoons potato flour and ⅛ teaspoon salt and mix together well. Grease your hands with a little oil and roll the mix into approximately 12 golf-sized balls
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Add the remaining 2 tablespoons flour to a plate and roll each ball in the flour so they are coated.
Heat vegetable oil in a large, nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the fish balls and cook for about 5 minutes, turning throughout until all sides are golden-brown and crisp.
Warm the sauce , transfer the balls into the sauce, cook for 4 minutes, until hot.
Remove the lid and scatter the herbs and the remaining fresh chile over the top, then drizzle with the reserved garlic and chile oil. Serve hot, with lime juice added to taste, or with lime wedges alongside.