serves
4
prep
10 minutes
cook
30 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
4
people
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
30
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive or coconut oil
- 1 eschalot, finely chopped
- ¼ cup desiccated coconut
- 2 tbsp curry paste (recipe below)
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup fish stock
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 50g green beans, trimmed and sliced on an angle
- 4 barramundi fillets, halved lengthways
- 1 bunch choy sum, trimmed and roughly chopped
- coriander sprigs and steamed rice, to serve
Curry paste
- 1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, finely chopped
- 1 long red chilli, finely chopped
- 3cm knob ginger, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tsp shrimp paste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 coriander stalks, finely chopped
Instructions
To make the curry paste, use a mortar and pestle or small food processor to grind the lemongrass, chilli, ginger and garlic with a pinch of salt. Add the shrimp paste and continue to grind until combined. Add the oil to thin it out and help it come together. Finish off by combining with the coriander stalks.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the eschalot for 3–5 minutes or until golden brown. Add the coconut and cook for a further 1–2 minutes or until you achieve a nutty aroma.
Stir in the curry paste for 2 minutes, or until fragrant, before adding turmeric, coconut milk and stock. Bring to a simmer and add the fish sauce, honey and lemon juice. Sprinkle in the green beans, cover and cook for 2 minutes.
Lift the lid and add the barramundi fillets. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 6–8 minutes, adding the choy sum for the last 3 minutes of cooking. Finish by tearing up coriander and sprinkling on top. Serve in bowls with steamed rice.
Recipe and images from Surfing the Menu by Dan Churchill and Hayden Quinn ( - $49.99). Available now where books are sold.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
