This is a Thai-inspired curry that I typically cook on a braai (barbecue) here the original recipe has been adapted to be prepared and served on Good Friday.
Prep time 15 minutes/Cook time 15 minutes/Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp shrimp paste
2 birds’ eye red chilli, shredded (reduce by half, deseeded and remove the membranes if you don’t like it too hot)
2 lemongrass stalks, split, then bruised with a rolling pin
1 tbsp (heaped) medium curry powder
1 heaped tbsp light muscovado sugar
small bunch coriander, stems finely chopped
400g (14 oz) tin coconut milk
450g (1 lb) skinless hake fillets, cut into rectangles, roughly credit card size
225g (8 oz) king prawns (fresh or frozen)
1 lime, halved
Method:
Heat the oil in a wide, lidded frying pan, then add the onions and soften for 5 mins. Increase the heat a little, stir in the ginger, garlic, shrimp paste, chilli and lemongrass, and cook for 2 minutes.
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 everything to a simmer.
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 minutes more or until the hake is just cooked and flaking, and the prawns are pink through.
Taste for seasoning (sweet, salty and sour), adding a squeeze more lime to the sauce if you like. Scatter over the coriander leaves and serve accompanied with rice.
