Recipe: Whole fish curry

Whole fish curry. Photo / Grant Allen

Serves 2-3 people

Curry paste
• 4 large red chillies, with the seeds left in
• 1 thumb ginger
• 3 thumbs galangal
• 8 shallots
• 20 garlic cloves, peeled
• 6 candlenuts (or macadamia nuts)

*Finely dice these ingredients and blend with a cup of water in a liquidiser until soupy.

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 3 star anise
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1-1.5kg whole fish, gutted, scaled and trimmed of fins.
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 3 cups water
• 3 limes, segmented
• 1 small green mango, diced
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• Salt and sugar to taste

1. Heat 3 Tbsp oil in a pan big enough to hold the fish.

2. Fry off the curry paste for a good 10 minutes over a medium heat, adding the lemongrass, star anise and turmeric along the way.

3. Add the whole fish, coconut milk and water. Cook over a low heat until the fish is tender. Add the lime segments, mango and coriander. Season to taste with the salt and sugar.

4. Serve on a large platter with plain rice.