Name: Vietnamese Fish Curry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 onion, finely sliced; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, grated; 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed and finely chopped; 1 tbsp mild curry powder; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 400ml coconut milk; 250ml chicken or fish stock; 250g broccoli, cut into small florets; 600g basa fillets, skinned and cut into 4cm pieces; 2 tsp caster sugar; 2 tsp fish sauce; Juice of 1 lime; Small handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped; Steamed jasmine rice

Method

15 mins prep25 mins cook40 mins total

Warm the oil in a large, deep frying pan or wok over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until soft but not coloured.
Stir in the garlic, ginger and lemongrass for 1 minute, then add the curry powder and turmeric. Cook briefly until fragrant.
Pour in the coconut milk and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes so the sauce reduces slightly.
Add the broccoli and simmer for 4–5 minutes, until it is just tender.
Nestle the basa pieces into the sauce, cover and simmer gently for 5–7 minutes, turning once, until the fish is opaque and cooked through. Avoid vigorous stirring.
Stir through the sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then scatter over the coriander.
Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

Notes

Basa is delicate, so keep the curry at a gentle simmer after adding the fish. Pak choi, green beans or sliced red pepper also work well in place of broccoli.

Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 24 hours. Reheat gently until piping hot.