Chef Cardoz's inspiration for this dish? His childhood summers in Goa, India. "Each morning, my grandmother would prepare a bowl of steaming hot kanji (a home-style dish similar to an unpolished, soupy risotto) accompanied by pickled mango and roasted salted dried fish. My father was deeply sentimental about this mid-morning meal, but my brothers and I came to loathe this family ritual (both for the formality and for the kanji itself).

Over the years, my mind kept returning to the comfort and simplicity of that meal, and I decided to refine it according to my own tastes. I started by adding things I liked–clams, coconut milk, a piece of roasted fish on top–and the recipe evolved from there. This particular rendition is a favorite, with the green peas adding color, and tangy kokum cutting the richness of the coconut milk. My children love it, quite possible because I don’t make them eat it every day of summer vacation!"

Try Floyd Cardoz's recipe and share it with your own family tonight. Here's how:



Method:

• Wash the rice well and soak it in water to cover for 20 minutes. Drain the rice. Thinly slice the salt cod on the diagonal against the grain. Break the salt cod into roughly 1½ –inch pieces and toast in a dry small heavy skillet over high heat until golden and charred in spots, about 3 minutes. Let cool and shred into small pieces.


• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy 3- to 4- quart pan over moderately high heat until it shimmers and cook the cloves and bay leaf, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ginger, shallot, garlic, and rosemary and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until the shallot and garlic are translucent. Add the drained rice and cook, stirring, until the grains are coated with oil, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the stock, 1 cup of the coconut milk and the wine. Simmer, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid is beginning to be completely absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the cloves, bay leaf, and rosemary and spread the rice on a tray to cool. The rice can be made up to this point 1 day ahead.


• Preheat oven to 350° F and season the fresh cod with salt and pepper.


• Put the clams in the same (cleaned) 3- to 4- quart pan and add 1½ cups of the remaining stock. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over moderate heat until the clams open, about 2 minutes. (Discard any unopened clams.) Transfer the clams and stock to a 6-quart pan and stir in the cooled rice, salt cod, remaining coconut milk, kokum, and peas. (The mixture should be very soupy.) Reduce heat to moderately low.


• Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a heavy ovenproof 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until it shimmers. Sear the fresh cod in the oil, skin side down, for 2 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish), or until the cod is just cooked through.


• Stir the remaining ½ cup chicken stock into the rice if necessary to keep the rice soupy and season with salt.


• Serve the cod on a bed of rice and clams.

Yields 6.

Foodsubs.com, a cooking encyclopedia, is one of Floyd's favorite websites.

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About the Chef:
Most people know Floyd Cardoz is the Executive Chef/Partner of Tabla, where he celebrates the sensual flavors and spices of his native land in his pioneering New Indian cuisine. In 1998, Floyd opened Tabla with restaurateur Danny Meyer and Union Square Hospitality Group. Floyd seasons Western cuisine with Indian spices and soul in the restaurant’s first floor dining room, and also cooks home-style Indian fare in the restaurant’s street level Bread Bar.

Tabla has received numerous accolades from the media including The New York Times – Three stars, Bon Appetit “Our Favorite Places: Asian,” Gourmet – “Personal Favorite” and Reader’s Choice, Best Newcomer (NY), Time Out New York – Best Indian (1999-2002), Forbes Magazine (Three stars), and New York Daily News – Four stars. In addition, Bon Appetit named Floyd as one of “The Innovators” in its 2003 Annual Restaurant Edition and Floyd has received three nominations by The James Beard Foundation for “Best Chef NYC” (2004, 2005 and 2006).

In October 2006, Floyd released his first cookbook, One Spice, Two Spice (William Morrow), which includes his favorite New Indian recipes from Tabla, demystifies Indian food and flavors and teaches how to expertly add Indian spices to American cuisine.

Floyd lives in New Jersey with his wife Barkha, and two sons, Peter and Justin.

Visit Chef Floyd Cardoz on the web @ tablany.com

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More from Floyd Cardoz

• Salmon Stuffed with Coconut Coriander Chutney
• Roast Lamb with Mint-Black Pepper Sauce