Fish curry with coconut milk and lime

Fresh limes give this fish curry with mussels a wonderfully intense flavour. Recipe by Sophia Schilik

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 400 g basmati rice
• 600 g fish fillets (150 g per person)
• 1 tin of mussels or 12 fresh, cooked mussels (optional)
• 4 shallots
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 small piece of fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee for frying
• 3–4 tsp curry powder
• Chilli or cayenne pepper (optional)
• 200 g chopped tinned tomatoes (Pelati) (tomatoes only, not the liquid)
• 1 tin of coconut milk (400 ml)
• 1⁄2 tsp stock paste
• Juice of 2 limes (or a little more)
• Salt
• Sugar (optional)
• 4 fresh green chillies

Also:

• Chilli crisp or garlic chilli crunch (optional)
• fresh coriander leaves (optional)
• Lime wedges to serve

Method:

1. Place the rice in a sieve and rinse briefly under cold running water. Cook according to the packet instructions until fluffy and grain-like. Remove the skin and bones from the fish fillets and cut into thick pieces. Cook the mussels or use tinned mussels.
2. Meanwhile, peel the shallots and slice into fine rings. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Peel the ginger and cut into fine strips.
3. Heat the oil or ghee in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Sauté the shallots over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger and fry briefly, stirring occasionally. Add the spices and toast for 1 minute over a low heat. Add the chopped tinned tomatoes and allow to simmer briefly. Deglaze with coconut milk and the stock paste dissolved in 150 ml of hot water. Add lime juice to taste and allow the sauce to simmer over a medium heat for approx. 20 minutes. Season to taste.
4. Purée the curry sauce until smooth using a hand blender. Depending on the desired consistency, add a little more liquid – stock or water – if necessary.
5. Carefully add the fish pieces to the curry sauce and cook over a gentle heat for approx. 6–8 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. Add the mussels (optional).
6. Divide the finished fish curry between deep plates and serve with basmati rice, fresh green chillies, chilli crisps, coriander leaves and lime wedges.