Monkfish & Saffron Curry

by Emily Scott from Time & Tide (Hardie Grant)

Photography: Kristin Perers

My fish curry of dreams. Monkfish is very forgiving and great if you are new to fish cookery. I slightly undercook it so it is a little translucent, and resting it before eating is always a good idea. Monkfish is so robust and meaty, yet with a delicate flavour, it stands up very well to the gentle spices here. Serve with rice, or it is delicious with quinoa.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 teaspoon saffron

juice of ½ lime

250 g (9 oz) fine green beans, topped, tailed and cut in half

1 tablespoon good olive oil

1 bunch of spring onions (scallions), trimmed and sliced

2 garlic cloves

5 mm (¼ in) piece of fresh root ginger, finely grated

1 red chilli, finely sliced

2 curry leaves

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground coriander

450 g (1lb) monkfish, trimmed and cut into 4 cm (1¾ in) pieces

1 x 400 g (14 oz) tin of coconut milk

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) fish stock

4 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), to garnish

Method

In a small bowl, add the saffron to the lime juice and leave to steep while you cook.

Briefly blanch the green beans in a pan of boiling water, then drain and refresh under cold running water or in a bowl of iced water, so they retain their green colour. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium-low heat, add the spring onions and sauté until softened, then stir in the garlic, ginger and chilli.

Add the curry leaves and ground spices, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add the monkfish pieces and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side.

Add the coconut milk and steeped saffron, and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes, then stir in the blanched green beans.

Serve in bowls garnished with coriander.

COOK’S NOTE: You are looking for a burnished yellow sauce here, so simmer low and slow. I find myself spooning the rice or quinoa directly onto my curry when I come to serve it in bowls – this allows the sauce to be soaked up. Always so good the next day, if you have leftovers.

Drinks tasted on air, alongside the drinks