• Make the paste in advance and keep it in your fridge so you can easily whip up this quick meal for two. 

    Poached hake in coconut milk with lemon grass and green chillies

    Serves: 2
    Cooking Time: 20 mins

    Ingredients

    • CURRY PASTE RECIPE

    • 20 green chillies
    • 2,5cm fresh ginger
    • 2 fresh lemon grass stems
    • 3 lime leaves
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 45ml (3 tbsp) red onion
    • large handful basil
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) oil
    • FOR THE CURRY

    • 30ml (2 tbsp) curry paste (see recipe above)
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) oil
    • 1 x 400g tin coconut milk
    • 2 hake fillets
    • 100g mangetout, finely sliced
    • 100g baby corn, finely sliced
    • fresh basil, to garnish
    • bean sprouts, to garnish

    Instructions

    1

    For the curry paste, roughly chop all the ingredients and grind in a pestle and mortar, adding the oil towards the end of the grinding process. The paste can be as smooth or rough as you like.

    2

    Sauté the curry paste in the oil. Add the coconut milk and as it starts to boil, add the fish. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 7 minutes. Add the mangetout and baby corn and continue simmering until the fish is cooked, about a further 3 minutes.

    3

    Garnish with fresh basil and bean sprouts and serve with fragrant jasmine rice.

    Notes

    The remaining curry paste can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week and used in the same way as Thai green curry paste.

    Imka Webb
    Author

    Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine.  www.imkawebb.com