Use your favourite fish to make this quick coconut curry – the fish is coated in a spice rub then pan-fried to deliver maximum flavour.
For this recipe you will need a food processor or blender.
Ingredients
For the rub
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
1 tsp nigella seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp hot chilli powder
½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
½ tsp fine sea salt
For the fish
2 x 150g/5½oz salmon fillets, or any other firm fish fillets
2–4 tsp sunflower oil
For the sauce
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
10g/⅓oz fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
big handful fresh coriander (around 30g/1oz), roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp hot chilli powder
300ml/10fl oz tinned coconut milk, well stirred
freshly cooked basmati rice, to serve
Method
Mix all the ingredients for the spice rub and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of it over the fish fillets. Rub in gently until lightly coated all over, then set aside.
To make the sauce, heat a tablespoon of the oil in a medium non-stick saucepan. Gently fry the onion, ginger and garlic for 5 minutes, or until softened and beginning to colour, stirring regularly.
Put the remaining rub, the fried onion mixture, 1 teaspoon salt and all the remaining ingredients for the sauce in a food processor or small blender and blitz until smooth. You will need to remove the lid a couple of times and push the mixture down with a spatula.
Pour the sauce into a small non-stick frying pan and cook gently for about 8–10 minutes, or until all the flavours have blended together, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if the volume of liquid reduces too much before the sauce is ready.
Meanwhile, cook the fish. Place a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and, when hot, add 2 teaspoons oil. Cook the fish for 3–4 minutes on each side, then transfer to the pan with the sauce and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, or until just cooked, adding extra water or coconut milk if needed. Serve with freshly boiled basmati rice.
In other news – Butternut squash and sweet potato curry – Recipe
This is a rambunctiously vibrant vegan curry, both to look at and eat. It is rich, sweet and hearty, with tomatoes providing a balancing acidity and the curry paste bringing uncompromising fire.
Of course chillies do vary in heat, so if you’re after something a little less passage-clearing, use two rather than three, and if you want to go milder still, simply de-seed the chillies. Having said that, cooking with chillies always has a touch of roulette about it. Learn more
Source: BBC FOODS
