Fish Moilee Curry (Rockfish) with Basmati Rice & Papadums

S6 E05 | Not A Damn Chance That Something’s Burning | Neen Williams + Chef Phillip Frankland Lee

Neen Williams and Chef Phillip Frankland Lee swing through to plug their new pod, Not a Damn Chance. Bert turns on the flex for the chef: Kerala-style fish moilee—silky coconut curry with crisped rockfish—over fluffy basmati, plus papadums for crunch. They talk skateboarding, how to snag a Michelin star, and, obviously, burgers.

Before You Start

Steps:

  1. Set the fish, spices, and rice out. Rinse the rice before cooking (see Rice section). Prep all aromatics.

Basmati Rice

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups white basmati rice (aged, if possible)
  • 1 Tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups water

Steps:

  1. Place basmati in a sieve; rinse with cool water until it runs clear.
  2. Add rice, ghee, salt, and water to a rice cooker; set to cook. Fluff and keep warm.

Rockfish — Season & Shallow‑Fry

Ingredients:

  • 2–3 skinless rockfish fillets (~12 oz each), cut into 2–3" chunks (or snapper/salmon/firm fish)
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • Vegetable oil (for shallow‑frying)

Steps:

  1. In a bowl, gently toss fish with turmeric, pepper, salt, and lemon juice; chill while you start the curry.
  2. Heat 4–5 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat; shallow‑fry fish ~2 minutes per side until light golden. Transfer to a sheet pan; set aside.

Fried Curry Leaves & Papadums (Garnish/Side)

Ingredients:

  • Several sprigs fresh curry leaves
  • Vegetable oil
  • Salt
  • Papadums (optional)

Steps:

  1. In hot oil, fry curry leaves ~30 seconds until crisp; drain and sprinkle with salt. For papadums, fry 3–5 seconds until puffed; drain.

Fish Moilee Curry

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp dark mustard seeds
  • 3 sprigs curry leaves, stripped (15–18 leaves)
  • 2 whole Kashmiri chilies
  • 1 large shallot, finely diced
  • 1 inch ginger, grated (microplane)
  • 5 garlic cloves, grated (microplane)
  • 1/4 tsp asafetida
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 2 tsp sambar masala
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1 can coconut cream
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 large heirloom tomato, cut into chunks
  • Vegetable oil
  • Juice of 1/2 lime

Steps:

  1. Warm 2–3 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mustard seeds; cook until they begin to “dance.”
  2. Add curry leaves and whole Kashmiri chilies; stir 30 seconds to scent the oil. Add asafetida, shallot, and ginger; sauté 2–3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
  3. Add salt, garlic, turmeric, coriander powder, sambar masala, and red chili powder; sauté 2 minutes to bloom spices gently.
  4. Stir in coconut cream and coconut milk; add tomato chunks. Bring to a simmer and cook 8–10 minutes to thicken slightly.
  5. Nestle the shallow‑fried fish into the curry; simmer 3–4 minutes until just cooked through. Finish with lime juice; taste and adjust salt.

To Serve

Garnish:

  • Fried curry leaves