I like a simple fish fry that’s just seasoned with salt and pepper but occasionally, I like to explore and make a spice rub. This particular one turned out wonderfully fragrant. There is earthy cumin, citrusy coriander along with the anise aroma of fennel seeds. Some hotness from dry red chili and a sharp tang from dry mango powder. All blended together with the pungent carom seeds. I left the texture of spice mixture coarse, which gives that depth and adds a lovely crunch as well.
Along with the fried fish, I was fancying something light. A salad was a clear choice and the large raw papaya that was gazing at me finally came to some good use. The first time I tasted raw papaya salad was in Bangkok. It was so uplifting and delicious. I was not much into cooking back then, so I didn’t even bother to find out the recipe. Last weekend, when I was making the salad, the dressing/sauce was more like an experiment. I just went ahead remembering the taste and determining the components. Coconut milk for the subtle sweetness, peanut butter for the nutty flavor that always works with papaya salad and blended together with some fresh cilantro and soy sauce. There was several tastings and tunings in the process but the end result was exactly what I wanted. I could easily use this dressing/sauce as a dip too.
Sunday lunch was a recipe testing that turned into a success. That sauce/dressing and that spice rub made it a delicious meal.
