River Cottage

Make fish feisty with this Thai curry recipe from River Cottage Every Day

Hugh: "This looks like a complicated recipe, but it isn't really. I like to make the paste in double or triple quantities and freeze some, so I can whip up a curry quickly. You can vary the fish and shellfish, adding strips of squid or thickly sliced scallops if you like, or increasing the proportion of white fish in relation to shellfish for a more economical dish."

Serves 4

• 2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
• 400ml tin of coconut milk
• 200ml fish stock or water
• 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
• 2 tsp sugar
• 125g French beans
• 100g spring onions
• 500g firm fish fillets, such as pollack, gurnard or grey mullet, skinned
• 300g fresh crabmeat - a mix of white and brown, or all white if you prefer
• A handful of coriander, Thai basil or ordinary basil leaves, roughly torn

For the curry paste

• 2-6 small green chillies, according to heat, deseeded if you like
• 3-4 small shallots or 1 small onion, chopped
• 100g fresh ginger, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tbsp galangal paste (optional)
• 3 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers removed, finely sliced
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• Juice and grated zest of 1 lime
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp Thai shrimp paste
• 1 tsp sea salt

How to make Thai fish curry

1. Put all the curry paste ingredients into a food processor or blender and whiz to a fairly smooth paste, adding a tablespoon of water to help it along if necessary.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan, then scrape in the curry paste. Fry over a low-medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, without letting it colour. Add the coconut milk, stock or water, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cut the French beans into 2-3cm lengths and slice the spring onions on the diagonal. Add these to the curry sauce and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Cut the fish fillets into large bite-sized pieces. Add these to the pan, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, until the fish is just cooked. Stir in the crabmeat and heat through gently for another minute.

5. Serve in deep bowls, scattered with the coriander or basil and accompanied by boiled rice.