Panfried Sea Bass with Thai Green Curry Sauce, Peanut Radish Citrus Slaw and Jasmine Rice
There is nothing like a fresh and aromatic homemade Thai green curry. Served with some crispy panfried seabass and a zingy, crunchy, peanutty slaw, this feels slightly more special than your standard midweek thai green curry out of a jar. Although I love a thai green curry with prawns, chicken or veg, the lovely fresh, clean taste of the sea bass goes so well with the rich, coconutty sauce. Making your own paste is so worthwhile - the taste is a lot more authentic and it is much easier than you think. Plus you can make a big batch and freeze it so it goes that extra mile.
Serves 3-4
1. For the curry paste, blitz a couple of shallots, a knob of ginger, a couple of lemongrass stalks, lots of coriander (stalks and all), a deseeded red chilli (if you like it hot use two and keep the seeds in), a green chilli, some garlic cloves, the juice and zest of a lime, a handful of kaffir lime leaves, and a handful of spinach to make it lovely and green in colour. Add a glug of olive oil and a splash of water to get a paste consistency.
2. Fry the paste over a low/medium heat in a wok with 200ml creamed coconut until fragrant before adding 400ml full-fat coconut milk, and 1/2 tbsp each of toasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds and black peppercorns which have been ground in a pestle and mortar.
3. Simmer the sauce so it reduces slightly for 10 mins and add 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp of palm sugar or light brown sugar, the juice of a lime, a pinch of salt, 150g frozen peas and a chopped aubergine.
4. Meanwhile make the slaw. Finely slice 300g radishes and add to a bowl with three shredded carrots, a bag of beansprouts and the juice of two limes. Stir well and add 1tsp of sea salt flakes and a handful of crushed roasted salted peanuts.
5. Pat the seabass fillets dry with kitchen paper, season and score the skin three times. Fry in 2 tbsp olive oil for 3 mins until the skin is lovely and crispy. Flip over for the final 30 secs cooking.
6. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary (I usually add a touch more fish sauce and lime). Add a handful of ripped thai basil leaves (or normal basil leaves) and stir.
7. Serve with some fluffy basmati rice and top with some more thai basil, mint and coriander.