Tandoori spiced sea bream

Simple to prep but with pretty special results, this Indian-inspired menu from MasterChef winner Dhruv Baker makes a romantic meal for two

Prep:20 mins
Cook:10 mins
Plus chilling

Serves 2
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 225
fat 13g
saturates 5g
carbs 0g
sugars 0g
fibre 0g
protein 26g
salt 0.42g

Ingredients

drizzle olive oil, for frying
2 sea bream fillets
1 tsp garlic paste (blend lots of peeled garlic with a little vegetable oil, then freeze in ice cube trays)
1 tsp ginger paste (made as above)
2 green chillies
¼ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp garam masala
juice ½ lime
100g unsalted butter

Tip

Strawberry shortbread cardamom pots
Whip a small pot double cream with just enough sugar to sweeten. Crush 3-4 cardamom pods to remove the seeds, then finely crush the seeds before stirring into the cream with lots of sliced strawberries and 3-4 crumbled shortbread fingers. Spoon into pretty pots and eat with extra shortbread.Crushed saffron potatoes
Cook 300g new potatoes in boiling, salted water until tender. Meanwhile, soften a pinch saffron in a drop of warm water. Drain the cooked potatoes and return to the pan over a low heat. Add 25g butter, the saffron and plenty of seasoning. Roughly crush together with a whisk or fork, then serve with the fish.Green beans with coconut
Blanch 140g trimmed green beans in boiling, salted water for 2-3 mins until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Fry 1 tsp black or brown mustard seeds and 2 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut in 2 tsp sunflower oil for 1-2 mins until golden and fragrant. Stir in the beans until warmed through, then serve with the fish and potatoes.

Method

Mix the tandoori butter ingredients, plus some seasoning, in a small food processor or with a hand-held blender until smooth. Scrape onto cling film, then use the cling film to help you roll it into a cylinder. Twist the ends to seal in the butter and chill until firm. The butter will last in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Heat a heavy-based frying pan with a drizzle of oil until really hot. Season the fish, then place in the pan, skin-side down, and cook for 4-5 mins until crisp and almost cooked through. Carefully turn over, add a good tbsp of tandoori butter to the pan and spoon it over the fish as it melts. Serve straight away with the Crushed saffron potatoes and Green beans with coconut (recipes below), with any pan juices poured over.