Whilst chatting about ways of cooking fish with one of my favourite local pubs @jamcircus on Twitter yesterday, I was reminded about how much I love the combination of coconut and fish.
The combination is exotic and creamy, while also being light and fresh. The Keralans have been embracing the combo pretty much forever, so there has to be something right about it.
Speaking of the Keralans, a bit of punchy Indian spice is just what coconut fish needs to turn it into a really delicious meal.
Using the tried and tested foil parcel method of cooking, which allows all of the juices to mingle together to form a wonderful sauce, and for the flesh of the fish to stay moist and firm, this recipe is also very quick and easy.
Simply throw it all in the parcel, bake, serve with rice, and you have yourself a great fish curry dish, with very little effort.
You can use any fish in this, though I'd recommend something white and sustainable, like pollock. If you were to go for a stronger fish like salmon, stick in an extra bit of garam masalla.
Ingredients (serves 2)
2 skinless, boneless fillets of fresh fish of your choice.
1 200ml can of coconut milk (or half a normal can)
1 bunch of fresh corriander
2 teaspoons of garam masalla
1 teaspoon of ground corriander
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 red chili, finely sliced.
Rice and fresh greens to serve.
Directions
Finely chop the corriander, and combine it with the coconut milk, garam masala, ground corriander, chili and turmeric in a small bowl.
Place each piece of fish on a separate square of foil and bring up sides to make a parcel. Pour half the mixture over the fish into each parcel and close up foil.
Place into a baking tray containing about 200mls of water, and bake in the oven at 200C/Gas Mark 5 for 20mins.
Carefully open each parcel and place the fish on a plate with some rice. Pour over the sauce from the parcel and serve.
Image Via Jeena's Kitchen