Thai-inspired fish curry

Courtesy Hayley Evers-King

Thai food uses an array of fantastic, fresh flavours, distinct from any other cuisine. This curry takes advantage of the simple combination of flavours found in typical Thai coconut curries. You can add vegetables to this dish if you like – baby sweetcorn, mange tout, thinly sliced carrots added just before the fish, will make this a more substantial meal. Serve with basmati/jasmine rice.

*Serves 4

Ingredients

2 large hake/angelfish fillets cut in half
2 cloves of garlic – finely chopped
1 tsp grated ginger/galangal if you prefer
400ml can of coconut milk
200ml water
1 tsp turmeric – ground will do or use 20g of fresh turmeric, grated, if you can find fresh
1 stick of lemon grass cut into 2 cm chunks
1-2 red chillies – chopped, use less if you prefer a milder spice
3 tbsp fish sauce
Juice of half a lime

method

Add a little coconut milk (2-3 tbsp) to a large pan and heat until it bubbles and forms an oil (a trick I was taught in Thailand!).
Turn the heat down a little and lightly fry the chopped garlic, ginger and chillies.
Add the coconut milk and stir the ground turmeric through/add the turmeric chunks and lemon grass.
If you want to add vegetables, add them now and cook for an extra minute or so to soften before you start the fish.
Add the fish to the pan and simmer until cooked – about 8 minutes, be careful not to overcook the fish, hake especially can fall apart easily.
Once the fish is cooked, remove carefully and place in bowls. Add the fish sauce and lime juice to the coconut sauce and spoon this over the fish, carefully discarding any chunks of turmeric/lemon grass.
Top with spring onions and coriander and serve with basmati/jasmine rice.

125g rice per person
Spring onions – roughly sliced
Fresh coriander – roughly chopped.