Recipe Of The Week - Thai Penang fish curry

October 13, 2014 by Justin the Chef

Thai Penang fish curry

Autumn seems to have truly kicked in, so I would like to share with you this great little belly warmer, Penang fish curry. It’s relatively quick and simple to make but is booming with lots of fantastic Thai flavours. In this dish I have used Thai vegetables sourced from the local Asian supermarket, if this is not possible for you don't worry as I will list just as good alternatives!

This recipe serves 4

Ingredients

- 2tbsp sunflower/vegetable oil
- 160g coconut cream
- 400g coconut milk
- 2tbsp light palm sugar
- 1 lemongrass stalk
- 6 kaffir leaves (lime leaves)
- 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
- 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 10 Thai shallots (or 6 normal shallots) peeled and sliced or diced
- 120g pea aubergines, welshed and rinsed (or replace with green beans cut roughly to 1inch in size)
- 2 good size red peppers
- 1 bunch of Thai basil (or normal basil)
- Handful of picked washed coriander
- 800g fresh white fish such as tilapia, haddock, pollock or cod the choice is yours (skinned, deboned and diced to roughly 1inch chunks, if this sounds a little tricky ask your fish monger to do this for you)
- 200g uncooked Thai sticky rice (or long grain/basmati) follow the packet instructions to cook for when your curry is ready

And the method behind the madness...

- Put a large non-stick wok or saucepan onto a medium heat, when hot add the oil and fry the shallots for 10 minutes until golden brown in colour. When they are ready turn down the heat to low.

- Add the curry paste and coconut cream and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Add the coconut milk and 100ml of water. Bring to the boil and simmer.

- Place your lemon grass onto a solid surface (chopping board/counter top) with a rolling pin bash it almost flat, this releases the flavours needed. Add lime leaves, fish sauce, palm sugar and lemon grass to your curry stir until well mixed and the sugar has dissolved, cook out for 2 more minutes.

- Your curry should be simmering away nicely, now add your pea aubergines and cook for 7 -8 minutes, then add the peppers (if using green beans add them with the peppers) simmer for a further 5 minutes.

- When the vegetables are tender taste your curry for seasoning (very important) add more fish sauce or sugar if required.

- Now it's time to add your fish (stir in gently) bring the curry back up to a simmer and cook the fish for 4/5 minutes, turn off the heat and allow to stand for a further 3/4 minutes this will cook you fish perfectly with out over cooking it. At this stage your curry should be creamy if its looking a bit reduced add a little more water.

- When ready to serve (with your chosen cooked rice) throw the picked coriander and Thai basil into your curry and stir gently.

- Remove the lemon grass stalk from your curry before serving.

Enjoy!


If you do try our Thai Penang fish curry recipe, we would love to know what you think by commenting below!

Recipe courtesy of Justins Food Company.