Fish Curry With Salmon And Coconut Cream

I'm trying to do a Marie Kondo, and get rid of stuff.  I have a massive TBR pile of books, and I came across this one called Our Delicious Adventure by Jane Grover.  I bought it several years ago, but have only ever flipped it open briefly.  Now I've discovered a few recipes to try out (so the next bacon post will have to wait).  Jane made her fish curry with bream that her hubby had caught on their travels, but I had to settle for fish caught in the local deli section of the supermarket :-)

Speaking of salmon, I have fond memories of visiting a salmon ladder in Scotland (where the salmon head back to spawn), and of eating the best smoked salmon - ever!!  I'm also reminded of the time Mr P.'s little sis decided to bake a massive whole salmon (stuffed with banana, pineapple and pumpkin - I kid you not) in our tiny gas oven.  I think she had to do a tail-ectomy on it to fit it in the oven.  It tasted as funky as you are imagining right now.  

ready to eat

I was dubious about this curry, to be honest.  It seems like a very old-fashioned way of making it, with a flour-thickened sauce, but it was delicious!  Smooth and creamy and comforting.  I made a few changes along the way;  reduced the amount of celery, increased the curry flavouring, and added chilli and coriander = Yum!  

Serves 4-6:

ingredients:

2-3 carrots, chopped into chunks

3 large potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tbs vegetable oil (I used EV olive oil 'cos we love it)

1 large red or brown onion, finely chopped

2-3 celery sticks, finely chopped

3 spring onions/shallots, roughly chopped

3 healthy tbs Thai yellow curry paste (or 1 tbs curry powder if you follow Jane's instructions)

1/4 cup (40g.) plain flour (or gluten-free cornflour)

3 cups (750 mL) vegetable or fish stock (gluten-free if need be)

500g./1 lb salmon, cut into chunks

270 mL/8-9 oz can of coconut cream

sea salt, to taste

ground black pepper, to taste

1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes) or your fave chilli powder -(optional)

basmati or brown rice, to serve

cashews and fresh coriander leaves/cilantro, to serve (optional)

Method:

Throw the carrot chunks into a steamer/saucepan and cook till tender, then drain and put aside

Put the potato chunks in the same steamer/pot and cook till tender; also drain and put aside OR put the potato in with the carrot a few minutes after, as it takes less time to cook than carrots.  Does that make sense?  I mean you can cook them in the same pot, but the carrot goes first, then the potatoes

Grab a large frypan or saucepan, heat the oil, tip in the onion, celery and spring onions, and sauté on a low-ish heat for about fifteen minutes till really fragrant and tender - (meanwhile, heat the stock in a saucepan so it's ready to go when the veg is cooked)

Add the curry paste or powder to your sautéed veg, and stir for a minute or two

Then add the flour, stir it in, and cook it out for a couple of minutes

Now ladle in the hot stock a spoonful at a time, stirring in well, till you have a beautiful, thick sauce

Now add the carrot, potato, fish, coconut cream, salt, pepper, and chilli flakes

Let it simmer gently away (covered) for about ten minutes or till the fish is cooked to your liking

Serve with rice, cashews and chopped coriander

Notes:

Call 'em what you will: spring onions, shallots, green shallots, scallions - they are long, with a green top and a white bottom - you know what I mean

Choose whatever fish you like - using salmon is extravagant, (and so delicious), but use ling, or basa, or barramundi, or snapper, or whatever your fave dense, boneless fish may be

Don't stress about the amount of coconut cream; one ounce more or less won't hurt.  I'm assuming it's more likely to come in an 8 oz tin in the US or UK

Mr P. felt the potato and carrot should have been added in with the onion, celery and spring onions so it absorbed more of the curry flavour - not a bad idea!

ingredients (partly) gathered

a few more ingredients

cut the fish into chunks

sauté the veg.

stir in the curry paste and then the flour

stirring in the stock

sauce thickened, fish and veg and coconut cream added

and eat ... 

© Sherry's Pickings