Fish Pie

Fish Pie is a dish I have seen Amma prepare for special guests. Since it is not a regular at home like the fish curry or fish fry is, and since it’s a continental dish we always looked forward to these occasions when this would be prepared. This is with a slightly Indian twist added to the classic fish pie recipe. 

I remember a specific incident related to the fish pie. Recently when we were at home for vacation, my aunt Jijichechi invited us for dinner at her place. And usually her dinner is never short of excellence and it’s yumminess packed in the form of several dishes all spread out on the table. Usually we do pair it with a glass of wine as well which always Ranjith uncle makes sure is available a few varieties are available for us to choose from. So this time Jijichechi had prepared fish pie too among many other dishes and she had kept this in the microwave to warm before serving onto the table and completely forgot about it. It’s only after we finished our yummy desert that she remembered about it by then our tummy was fully filled up with no space at all to have it. So she packed it for us to have next day before our return flight back to London.

Fish Pie is traditionally a British dish also called as Fishermans Pie. It is a baked dish prepared during festive occasions. There is also Chicken Pie and Meat Pie as well prepared in the West. I would call this as a Indianised version of Fish pie to suit our spice levels and palette than the very mild version of the fish pie prepared in Western countries. I love something about fusion dishes where we take the best of both worlds to prepare a dish well suited to our taste. Even though I have mentioned we have increased the spice levels, its mainly with the addition of the black pepper powder levels , its still nothing that causes you to shed tears like some of the other classical Indian curries.

The base for this recipe can be made of noodles or pasta or macaroni. The main ingredient is the fish as well as the white sauce prepared which gives the flavour. 

Here goes the recipe 

RECIPE

Fish –  3 to 4 medium pieces. Kingfish, salmon etc can be used(Can use boneless fish steaks or fish with bone and later remove the bone before shredding it.)

To boil the fish 

Salt – ¼ tsp

Pepper – ½ tsp

Green chilli – 2

For the fish mixture 

Onions – 2 medium (finely chopped)

Green chillies – 2 finely chopped

Salt – to taste

Pepper – ½ tsp

Ginger – a 2 inch piece grated finely

For the white sauce 

Maida/all purpose flour – 3 tbsp

Butter – 2 tbsp

Milk – 1 cup

Cheese cube – 1

Pepper – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Grated mozzarella cheese – a handful (for layering)

STEPS 

Preparation of the macaroni/ pasta

– First boil the macaroni or pasta with some salt added in water. Once 3/4^th cooked, remove it from water and keep it aside

Preparation of the fish mixture

– First in a pan boil the fish with 1/2 cup water, green chillies and salt and pepper till its cooked.

– Remove and let it cool. Once cool shred the fish into small pieces

– Heat a non stick pan and add in oil when hot. Then add in the finely chopped onions and sauté it for few minutes. Now add in the shredded fish as well as pepper and salt and sauté well.

Preparing the white sauce

– Add butter into a heated pan and melt it.

– Add maida into the melted butter. Saute on low flame. Be cautious not to heat it.

– Turn off the stove and now add milk slowly into the mixture. Stir well so that it doesn’t form lumps.

– Add pepper powder powder and cheese cube or grated cheese into the sauce and stir well

– Sauce should not be too runny and should have a slightly thick consistency. Turn off the stove once it achieves the consistency.

Final layering of the dish

– Take a rectangular pie dish and layer the macaroni or pasta and then the filling and pour white sauce over it so that it flows in between the layers. Add some grated mozzarella cheese on top