Spicy Seafood Chowder
A hearty, spicy, tomato and vegetable based stock loaded with fish and seafood
Servings
2 – 3Servings
Servings
2 – 3Servings
Ingredients
  • 200grams firm white fish(cut into large chunks)
  • 200grams raw peeled prawns
  • 500grams live mussels(cleaned)
  • 3tablespoons olive oil
  • 125grams shallot(about 4 medium shallots)
  • 15grams garlic(about 3 small cloves)
  • 50grams celery(one small stalk)
  • 50 grams carrot(about half a carrot)
  • 50 grams fennel(about a quarter of a bulb)
  • 1/4teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2teaspoon ground tumeric
  • 1/2teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1tin chopped tomato
  • 250milimeters fish stock
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind puree
  • 1tablespoon fish sauce
  • 15 grams ginger(a thumb-sized piece, peeled but left whole)
  • 1stalk lemongrass(bruised but left whole)
  • 2teaspoons sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • chopped coriander(for garnish)
  • Chopped spring onion(for garnish)
  • Crusty bread to serve
Instructions
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pot, and when nice and hot add the mussels and fish stock. The stock should steam up immediately, so cover the pan and give it a shake and let the mussels steam for 3 – 4 minutes until they open. Drain the mussels, reserving the stock and mussel liquor. Measure the resulting stock, and make it up to half a litre (500ml) with water or extra stock and set aside. If desired, you can separate the mussel shells, leaving the half-shell with meat attached for serving.
  2. Finely dice the shallot, garlic, celery, carrot and fennel. Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan and fry the diced vegetables over medium heat for 8 – 10 minutes till soft but not browned. Add the spices to the vegetables and continue to cook for a further two minutes.
  3. Add in the tomato, reserved fish stock, sugar and fish sauce and a good pinch of pepper. Stir well, then add the bruised lemongrass stalk and and ginger and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes till the vegetables are starting to soften. At this point, season to taste and adjust with more fish sauce, sugar or tamarind – it should taste well balanced between sweet and sour.
  4. Simmer for a further 10 minutes, then return the mussels to the pot. This will drop the heat in the pot, so let it come back to a simmer then add the fish and prawns and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the fish and prawns are just cooked through.
  5. Taste for final seasoning and top with the coriander and spring onion and serve with crusty bread.