I’ve used a mixture of fish for this easy-to-cook, fragrant curry. Monkfish keeps its shape well and complements the slightly softer texture of cod loin. Serve with basmati rice and poppadums.
Serves 4
2 fresh, medium-hot green chilies
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
11⁄2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1⁄4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp plain flour
14 oz (400 ml) can coconut milk
2⁄3 cup (150 ml) vegetable stock
2 tsp mango chutney
2 tbsp lime juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
14 oz (400 g) monkfish
10 oz (300 g) skinned cod loin
4 oz (115 g) thin green beans, stem ends trimmed
2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh cilantro, to garnish
1. Seed and finely shred the chilies (see Make a spicy, smooth coconut sauce, step 1). Heat the oil in a large, deep-sided, nonstick frying pan or sauté pan. Add the onion and fry over medium–high heat for 5–6 minutes or until it starts to brown, reducing the heat if it browns too quickly.
2. Add the garlic, ginger, and half the shredded chilies to the pan and fry for another 2 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly and sprinkle in the garam masala, ground cilantro, cumin, turmeric, and mustard seeds. Fry for 1 minute, then stir in the flour and cook for another minute. (See Make a spicy, smooth coconut sauce, steps 2 and 3.)
3. Pour in the coconut milk and then the stock. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, stirring. Let the liquid bubble for a couple of minutes while you continue to stir, to thicken the sauce slightly. Reduce the heat and stir in the mango chutney and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. (See Make a spicy, smooth coconut sauce, step 4.)
4. Remove the membrane from the monkfish and chop the monkfish and cod into chunky cubes, about 2in (5cm). (See Gently cook the fish, steps 1 and 2.) Drop the beans into a pan of salted, boiling water and simmer for 4–5 minutes or until tender. Drain well, refresh in cold water for a few seconds, to keep the color, and drain again.
5. Add the monkfish and cod to the curry sauce. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 4–5 minutes or until the fish is just cooked. Gently stir the beans into the curry and remove the pan from the heat. (See Gently cook the fish, steps 3 and 4.) Before serving, top with the chopped cilantro and remaining shredded chilies.
FISH CURRY WITH COCONUT MILK
KEYS TO PERFECTION
Make a spicy, smooth coconut sauce
1 For the flavor of chili without too much heat, remove the seeds. Slice the chili in half lengthwise with a small, sharp knife. Using the tip of the knife, scrape out the seeds and membrane and discard. To shred, flatten each chili half and slice it lengthwise into thin strips. When working with chilies, keep your hands away from your eyes, which the chili will burn, and wash your hands well afterward; you may want to wear latex or rubber gloves to be on the safe side.
2 Frying the spices briefly before adding the liquid prevents them from tasting raw and draws out their flavors, adding depth to the finished dish. However, you need to be careful not to let them burn. Reduce the heat to medium before adding the dry spices to the pan, and stir continuously as they fry.
3 I stir a little flour into the sauce before the coconut milk goes in. It’s not traditional, but I find it helps to stabilize the sauce and stop it from separating. You don’t want the sauce to be too thick, so only a little flour is required.
4 Slowly pour in the coconut milk and then the stock, stirring all the time to make a smooth sauce and prevent any lumps from forming. After the sauce has thickened slightly, add the mango chutney, lime juice, and salt and pepper.
Gently cook the fish
1 Before cooking the fish, remove the purple-gray membrane that covers the monkfish tail. If left on it will shrink around the fish during cooking and make it tough. Use the tip of a long, thin, sharp knife to nick the membrane so you can get the knife between it and the flesh, then very carefully pull the membrane away, being careful not to damage the flesh. You’ll probably have to do this in several stages.
2 Pat the fish dry with paper towels, then cut it into cubes. It’s best to have fairly large cubes, as they hold their shape better during cooking and stay more tender and succulent. If the fish (especially the cod) is cut too small, it can disintegrate and disappear into the sauce. Both cod and monkfish are firm white fish, and when cut into equal-sized cubes they take the same length of time to cook.
3 Lay the fish in the sauce so it’s well covered. Don’t stir, just let it sink into the sauce, then cover the pan. Time the cooking carefully so the fish will stay tender and in good-sized pieces.
4 After adding the green beans, remove the pan from the heat, so the fish doesn’t overcook, and don’t stir the curry any more than necessary, otherwise the cod may start to break up.