india

Gillie’s Goan Fish Soup Recipe & photos by Gillie Sutherland

When I recall my time in India, or when someone asks me to describe this fascinating country, there’s one word that springs to mind: Colour!!

From the moment you step off the plane, particularly into Goa, it’s like an assault on all of the senses. The smells, the noise, the warmth on the skin, the taste of spices on the tongue, but visually, you’re in for a treat.

“It’s like going from black and white to colour”, I would say. There a magic to India, and it was here my love affair with sunsets began. I’d never seen sunsets like it, but it was more than just the colours, it was the feeling -t he warm glow from inside that I don’t think has ever left me. My whole philosophy of life, as well as how I arranged my days, was soon shaped by the sunset.

“There’s a sunrise and a sunset every day, and you can choose to be there for it. You can put yourself in the way of beauty.” (Words from Cheryl Strayed in “Wild” that I still live by.)

Life in Goa was about the simple pleasures. Most evenings we’d ride our mopeds to the beach just before sunset, and we’d eat on the beach, feet in the sand, with the gentle breeze from the sea. Pure magic. It was here that I also fell in love with Goan Fish Soup, always a different colour, depending on which unique blend of spices was used that day, but the bright golden yellow hue excites me the most.

The colur of the warm sun, and the colour I felt on the inside of me, created by the turmeric and saffron, was like an elixir for my mind, body and soul.

Ingredients

2 large fillets of firm fish (whatever is local)

1 Tbsp of coconut oil or ghee

2 garlic cloves

2 f resh chilies

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp saffron

Salt and pepper

1 can of coconut milk

1⁄2 can of passata or chopped tomatoes – blended

Handful of fresh coriander

Healthy Hint:

Turmeric, like many other yellow foods, is perfect for the Spring, for detoxing the liver, and the saffron, an antioxidant but also a powerful aphrodisiac, was a match made in heaven. Together they have been shown to be good for our cardiovascular health, but also effective in reducing depressive symptoms.

I’m still making this soup, especially at this time of year. It’s light but nourishing, it’s healthful but with a silky, spicy warmth that feels a little cozy and a little sexy all at once. Perfect for a romantic dinner, or just those days when you want to show yourself a little love. You can play around with which fish you use, and also the mix of spices, just keep smelling and tasting as you go along, and your instinct will guide you.

Link To Easy Conversion Chart

Continued on pg. 26 affiliate

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