Baked Murray cod with vadouvan butter

Vadouvan curry, also known as French curry, is a masala spice blend believed to have emerged during the French colonial period in Pondicherry, southeast India. The culinary fusion combined Indian spices with French elements, notably eschallots, creating a versatile and unique spice blend that continues to be favoured by chefs today.

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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The Whole Fish

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

Ingredients

• 1 plate-sized Murray cod (about 1.3 kg), cleaned
• Vegetable oil, for drizzling
• 80 g unsalted butter
• 3 eschallots, thinly sliced
• 2 cm x 3 cm piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 sprig curry leaf
• Lime wedges, to serve

For the vadouvan curry powder (makes extra)

• 15 curry leaves
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 dried red chillies
• 6 cloves

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (fan-forced). Place the fish onto a lined baking tray and drizzle with a little vegetable oil. When the oven is hot, bake the fish for 15 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, combine the vadouvan curry powder ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Toast the spices, swirling for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Allow to cool slightly, then grind to a fine powder using a spice grinder. 
3. Return the saucepan to medium heat with the butter. When foamy, add the eschallots, ginger and garlic, and fry until just fragrant, then stir through the curry leaves with 2 tsp of the vadouvan curry powder. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Transfer the baked Murray cod to a serving platter and spoon over the vadouvan butter. Serve with lime wedges on the side. 

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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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.

Stream free On Demand

The Whole Fish

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G