This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Calcutta, former seat of the British Empire and today capital of West Bengal, sits just above the Ganges delta. Fish is cooked here in harmonious combinations with root vegetables, squash, and leafy greens, incorporating Bengali seasonings such as pungent kalonji seeds and ground mustard seeds. In the following recipe, for a truly authentic taste use mustard oil instead of vegetable oil. Be sure, though, to heat the mustard oil to the smoking point and let it smoke for 3 to 5 seconds. This tempers its pungency.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
With a cleaver or large knife halve lobster tails lengthwise. Discard shells and devein tails. Cut lobster into bite-size pieces.
Step 2
Discard coarse stems from spinach and chop enough spinach to measure 2 cups. Chop onion and mince garlic. Wearing protective gloves, mince serrano. Peel gingerroot and mince. With a mortar and pestle or in an electric coffee/spice grinder coarsely grind mustard seeds.
Step 3
In a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook onion, garlic, serrano, gingerroot, and mustard seeds, stirring, until onion begins to brown. Add coriander and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in spinach and cook until it begins to wilt, about 30 seconds. Gradually add yogurt, stirring until combined well, and stir in lobster and salt. Simmer mixture gently until lobster is just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 4
Serve lobster and sauce over rice.
