FISH CURRY WITH RICE

     1 lb rice                            2 cups water
     1-½ lb white fish fillets            salt
     2-½ tbsp curry powder                2 large onions, sliced
     3 tbsp peanut oil                    2 tbsp lemon juice
     4 whole dried chili peppers          

Soak rice in cold water for an hour. Cut fish into serving pieces. Mix water into curry powder to make a thick paste. Heat half the oil in a saucepan; briskly stir the paste and peppers over moderate heat until spices darken, about 3 minutes. Stir in water, season with salt, and add fish. Simmer until fish flakes, about 20 minutes. Remove fish.

Drain rice. Heat remaining oil and sauté onion for about 5 minutes. Add to curry, bring to boil, stir in rice and lemon juice, cover, and simmer until rice is fluffy, about 15 minutes. Return fish to curry.

Adapted from the “Larousse Treasury of Country Cooking” (1975). Discover more vintage recipes at the Padgett Sunday Supper Club (clubpadgett.com)!