Tuna Mussamum

It's been a while since I have posted a recipe.  I have to say even though I like changes and am all up for good developments around the country, I am saddened by the changes brought to the cuisine. I mean even though we might become very modern and all that, I think it's important to preserve the traditional recipes and their taste.

I have heard of this curry many times but never tried it, even my own mother hardly makes it. So I was determined to find the original recipe. Unfortunately, the people I asked around had the " modernised " recipe. Finally, I decided to try a recipe I had in an old recipe book by local cook book writer Ms Zareena Ibrahim Didi ( unfortunately her books are no longer available in local bookstores).  Even in her introduction, she said that she had conducted classes and had written these books ( Dhivehi Kaana 1 and 2) to preserve the fast-disappearing traditional recipes of the country ).

Yes, I have used canned coconut milk and reduced the amount of chillies but the taste is still Maldivian and a delicious curry you should try.

Recipe : Tuna Musaamum ( Kandumahu Musamaa) recipe from Dhivehi Kaana 1 by Ms. Zareena Ibrahim Didi

400g Tuna Fillets
4 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
4-5 dried chillies
6 -8 cardamon pods ( use just the seeds inside)
2" piece of cinnamon
1" ginger, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 pandan leaves
8 curry leaves
big handful of Indian almonds or regular almonds ( sliced into slivers)
big handful of raisins
2 large onions, finely sliced
oil
3 tbsp ghee
water
1/2 cup  canned coconut milk ( optional) / you can use water instead
salt
2 tsp sugar

1. First prepare your tuna, cut the tuna into 2 inch  pieces . Holding your  cut cube of fish, run your know around the tuna so you are able to open it out like this :

 

(however, if its difficult you can make three cuts on the fish but not all the way through so you have 2 -3 pockets ( like a book). Set aside.


2.  Prepare the curry paste by heating a clean dry frying pan over medium heat, add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dried chillies, ginger slices, garlic, cardamon seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon, and heat through till they release their aroma. Don't let the spices burn.  Remove, cool a little, and pour into a blender or a wet grinder along with 1/4 cup of water, turmeric, and a pinch of salt.  Grind to a fine paste.
Leave about 2 tablespoons of the spice paste in the blender and remove the rest into a bowl.

3.  Add 3 tbsp of ghee into the frying pan and fry 1/2 of your sliced onions till it starts to turn golden. Add Indian almond or almond slivers and raisins and fry till the raisins puff up. Remove onto kitchen paper to drain any excess ghee. Stir this into the curry paste in the bowl. Mix well.

4. Take your tuna cubes and roll them up or open up the cut pockets and spread the curry paste in it. Wrap it up with strips of pandan leaf or secure with a tooth pick. Set aside.

5. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large, preferably nonstick pot, and saute' your remaining onions and leftover pandan leaves, and curry leaves, till the onions go soft and just start to colour. Switch off the heat.

6. Arrange your curry paste stuffed tuna pieces on top of the onions, making sure that the fish is in one single layer.

7. Add the coconut milk ( or water if not using coconut milk) into the reserved curry paste left in the blender along with 2 tbsp of water and pulse once.  Tip the contents into the pan containing the fish. Place it back on the stove over low heat with the lid on. Give the pan a shake every 5 minutes, and gently turn the fish using two spoons.  After 15- 20 minutes, taste the sauce and season with salt and sugar. Place the lid back on and give a shake or two and cook another 5 minutes. The sauce should be thick and quite dry, and the fish slightly caramelized on the edges.

Serve with plain cooked rice or a pilaf with a salad. Or you can even serve it with flat bread.