Recipe: Chip Shop-Style Fish Curry

Meet one of my favourite curry bases. Fish is sensational with it, but you could add leftover chicken for an equally tasty outcome. Keeping it veggie also works a treat; I like to roast up massive cauliflower florets so they get a nice char on them, or add some blanched skin-on sweet potato.

This is a lifesaver for busy days when you’re yearning for a wholesome meal but time isn’t exactly on your side. Once you’ve made the sauce (which can be done any time and refrigerated or frozen), dinner can be on the table within 15 minutes. What’s not to love!

Spice it up and have fun.

Chip Shop-Style Fish Curry

Serves Four

INGREDIENTS

SAUCE

1 onion, sliced

1 large clove garlic

4cm piece root ginger, washed, unpeeled & sliced

2 tsp curry powder

1tsp turmeric

1½ tsp fish sauce (no worries if you can’t find this)

1tsp maple syrup (or honey/sugar etc.)

600ml stock (whatever you can find), in a jug

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CURRY

600g firm white fish fillets, chopped into 2cm chunks

2 peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped

100g cherry tomatoes, halved

100g petit pois, defrosted & drained

2 big handfuls coriander, roughly chopped

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GARNISH

2 spring onions, sliced or shredded

1 red chilli, sliced on the diagonal

1 lime, quartered

EQUIPMENT

Wok or saucepan, Blender (stick blender/nutribullet/magi mix), Grater

METHOD

1. Set the wok/pan on a medium heat and add 1 tbsp neutral oil (coconut or rapeseed work well here). Fry the onion for around 5 minutes, you want a bit of caramelisation but careful it doesn’t catch. Grate in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Grate in the ginger, now follow with the spices, maple syrup and fish sauce, and continue cooking for another 30 seconds, stirring
2. Pour in the stock and simmer on a medium heat for 15 minutes. Keep an eye that it’s not boiling. Blitz in a blender until smooth and pour into a jug. Wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper
3. Season the fish with salt and lightly mix to combine; this will help it firm up
4. Prep the garnishes as per the ingredients list above and pop into small bowls of icy water; this will give them a lovely crunch
5. Set the wok on a fiery heat and add the last tablespoon of oil. Fry the peppers and tomatoes until softened, pour in the sauce, and bring to simmer. Tip in the fish and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the fish is opaque and just about to flake. Take off the heat and fold through the peas and coriander
6. Serve in big bowls, topped with your garnishes

COOK’S NOTES

• Why not double down on the sauce ingredients and freeze half meaning you have another whole meal virtually ready to go. It will last three months in the freezer. Cool completely before freezing
• This is EVEN better the next day as the flavours marry together. Although, the fish is best enjoyed on the day its cooked
• Veggie-wise, I quite like the takeaway nostalgia of the humble pea, besides it’s a handy freezer staple. Just think of balancing colours, so if you add a green like broccoli, then balance it out with a few tomatoes for example
• Some accompaniment ideas to get your mind whirring. Rice (allow 60g dry weight per person), flatbreads (or any of your favourite dippy bread to have with curry), cauli rice (if you’re looking for a low carb option)