Truth be told, I don't have my pestle and mortar with me, so I decided to 'lift' a ready made thai curry paste. So, this is not an authentic thai curry, one of those I learnt from my mentors in Thailand, but it is delicious.
Buy a paste that you like. You will find Thai curry pastes in any Asian grocers. If you do not have all the fresh bits that go in this recipe, use the ones you have as it makes all the difference.
Read the whole recipe first before you adventure into your kitchen. This is paramount to all asian recipes. Always.
Prepare the ingredients and leave them ready to be used so it won`t ruin the timing of the cooking.
This recipe is very quick to make once everything is prepared.
You will need:
2 white fish fillets cut in 5 cm each {I used fresh haddock}
4 to 6 scallops {or any seafood treat that you may want to use, like prawns and squid}
200ml coconut milk {can be the light version}
2 tablespoons of thai curry paste
3 slices of galangal or ginger
1 bulb lemongrass beaten once with knife or a hammer and cut along its length
4 kaffir lime leaves with no stalk in the middle of the leaf as it will make it bitter, slice the leaves very thinly
Green pepper pods or use the french ones for 'poivre' sauce {optional}
1 teaspoon of palm or demerara sugar
2 tablespoons of thai fish sauce {nam pla}
Handful of thai basil {or any that you can get your hands on}
1 fresh red chilli for decoration or more if you like it hot
In wok or a shallow but wide pan, add the coconut milk until it boils, reduces and separates a little, add the garlic with the paste and let it fry until fragrant stirring all the time. Add the galangal or ginger, lemongrass and, if using, the chilli. Add rest of the coconut milk and bring to boil and and add the sugar and the fish sauce, mix well and after 10 seconds add the kaffir lime leaves, fish and the seafood turning the pan around so you don't have to mix and disturb the fish which will then flake and you do not want that. Let it cook in medium heat, for about 2 minutes then turn the fish until it is cooked through which should not take more than 2 minutes depending on how thick it is, of course. Add the basil leaves spreading them around the pan and, again, turn the pan from side to side until the basil is submerged.
Decorate with the fresh chilli and serve it with white rice, vegetables and if you are like me with a fried egg.
Tip: Don't cook the fish and seafood for too long or it will ruin its natural texture and become dry and chewy. Remember that after you turn the heat off the heat will still cook the ingredients until you serve it.
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