a fishy feast

THAI GREEN SEA BASS WITH GALANGAL, LEMON GRASS AND COCONUT (SERVES SIX)

INGREDIENTS For the fish:

1 whole sea bass A few lime leaves (optional) A few slices of lime (optional) 100ml water, fish or veg stock Lime wedges, to serve Coconut rice, to serve Steamed pak choi, to serve 1tbsp sesame oil, toasted

For the Thai paste:

2 star anise Half a cinnamon stick 1tbsp black peppercorn Thumb-sized piece of fresh galangal, peeled and sliced (available from Sainsbury’s) Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 4 garlic cloves, bashed to remove the skin 3 banana shallots, chopped 3 lemon grass sticks, chopped, outer layer set aside 6-8 bird’s eye chillies 2tbsp fish sauce Juice of 2-3 limes 2tbsp demerara sugar Large bunch of coriander, leaves and stalks chopped separately 1 x 400ml can of coconut milk Salt

METHOD

1. First make the Thai paste: Grind the spices and put in a food processor with the galangal, ginger, garlic, shallots, lemon grass (reserving the outer layers), fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Blitz to a rough paste.

2. Add the chopped coriander stalks and coconut milk to the paste with half a teaspoon of salt and blitz again until combined. Taste the paste and add more chillies (when the paste is baked, the chilli heat will reduce dramatically).

3. Preheat the oven to 200C/ Gas mark 6. Lay out the bass in a deep roasting tin, large enough to fit it comfortably. Make a few slashes in both sides of the body and cover with enough paste inside and out so it is well coated. Stuff the inside cavity with the lime leaves, lemon grass outer layers and slices of lime if using. Mix the rest of the paste with the water or stock and pour into the tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a thin metal skewer can slide easily all the way into the thickest part of the fish.

4. Scatter with chopped coriander leaves and serve with lime wedges, coconut rice and some steamed pak choi laced with one tablespoon of toasted sesame oil.