COCONUT FISH CURRY

Easy to make, and delicious, this curry can use up just about any firm fish. Don't be afraid of adding a few fresh mussels if you have them.


INGREDIENTS

·         1 tbsp vegetable oil

·         1 onion, finely chopped

·         thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated

·         3 garlic cloves, crushed

·         1 tsp shrimp paste

·         1 small red chilli, shredded, or ½ tsp chilli powder

·         2 lemon grass stalks, split, & bruised with a rolling pin

·         1 heaped tbsp medium curry powder

·         1 heaped tbsp light muscovado sugar

·         small bunch coriander, stems finely chopped

·         400g can coconut milk

·         450g skinless hake fillets, cut into rectangles

·         220g pack frozen raw whole prawns

·         1 lime, halved

·         cooked rice, to serve

METHOD

1.         Heat the oil in a wide, lidded frying pan, then soften the onion for 5 mins. Increase the heat a little, stir in the ginger, garlic, shrimp paste, chilli and lemon grass, and cook for 2 mins.

2.         Add the curry powder and sugar, and keep stirring. When the sugar starts to melt and everything starts to clump together, add the coriander stems, coconut milk and 2 tbsp water, then bring to a simmer.

3.         Add the fish to the sauce, tuck the prawns in here and there, then squeeze over half the lime. Pop on the lid and simmer for 5 mins more or until the hake is just cooked and flaking, and the prawns are pink through.

4.         Taste for seasoning, adding a squeeze more lime to the sauce if you like. Scatter over the coriander leaves and serve with rice.