Day 36: Yoghurt masala fish

I’m fairly sure that most houses have a pecking order for who gets fed first and our house is no exception. Ideally, we would all eat the same thing at the same time but between having a vegetarian, a fussy 3-year-old, a not so fussy 1-year-old and a husband who commutes to and from his work in Belfast, coordinating meal times in our house is a challenge itself. However, one thing for sure is that like all houses, without doubt, the children are always the priority. Then it used to be Dear Husband and then me. However, I slowly learned that didn’t work for me. Why? Well, what would happen is that I would feed all of them, clean up and then, before I’d know it, it would be time for the next meal without me having had a proper meal myself and that is no good for a busy mother. For she who cannot look after herself cannot look after others. So eventually, the revised pecking order became children, me, Dear Husband.

When it comes to Dear Husband, the rule that I now live by is that Dear Husband gets fed when I get fed. I have found this to be very effective. Another thing is that if I have to stop what I'm doing to see to the kids, that delays getting food out on the table and normally Dear Husband is hovering about the kitchen looking to see when dinner will be ready. Is it any wonder that I sometimes say I have three children instead of two?! For example, if I am making food in the kitchen and the baby starts crying, I drop what I’m doing and see to her; thus, delaying the time at which the food will be ready. If Dear Son insists on me playing golf with him in the kitchen, again, golf it is. Dear Husband eventually realised that if wants fed quicker, he has to take over temporarily as the sole entertainer of the household in order to let me get on with things. All learned behaviour, you see. I’m pretty sure I picked up that learned behaviour thing from watching Super Nanny!

So, this evening, it was, as usual, children fed first, then me and then Dear Husband and I made him Yoghurt masala fish. I’m fairly sure that I am fast approaching the last few of the fish dishes of the cookbook but I will continue on with them on a Friday until such times that they are all done. Then, I’ll have to find a Friday replacement!

I used haddock for the fish. It was prepacked and de-boned so I cut a few slits on each side and rubbed in salt (with the latex gloves on, of course!). I then let the fish sit for 10 minutes while I got on with the marinade which consisted of yoghurt, garam masala, salt, lemon, crushed garlic and freshly grated root ginger. I didn’t make up my own garam masala – I just used the ready-prepared stuff in a bottle. Once the fish marinated, I rubbed the spiced yoghurt over the fish – all but two tablespoons. I drizzled some of my Donegal Rapeseed Oil over the fish and then grilled it. After 10 minutes, I took it out of the grill, turned it over, spread the remaining spiced yoghurt and some rapeseed oil on it and put it back under the grill for 15 minutes. I served it up with boiled rice.

I also felt the need to take a picture of the Donegal Rapeseed Oil which I always use. If it has the word ‘Donegal’ on it, I will surely buy it and it is definitely good stuff as you’ll see from the ‘Great Taste Gold 2011’ award that it has. I must say, even when I see Marks and Spencers in Derry selling Donegal potatoes, I’m as proud as punch. Yes, I just have to say it - they’re not just potatoes, they’re M&S Donegal potatoes! J

The verdict…

Dear Husband said it was ‘nice’. However, there were many small bones in it and I know he really doesn’t like that. Despite that, he still scored it 7 marks out of 10 which is a surprise. The meal was very easy to make with no fuss really. Dear Husband also said that it has made The List so apparently it will be featuring in our house again. Because the fish needs marinating, this is a handy dish which could be prepared a few hours in advance and then stuck in the fridge until cooking time. I love those kind of dishes especially on evenings after coming home from work. It really is all go go go in our house but anything that makes me get dinner out on the table that wee bit quicker is good in my books. So, with that in mind, I’ll leave you with some parting words for your weekend…

 "Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and

              too sleepy to worry at night”.