Ingredients

2 tbsp ghee

6 baby snapper fillets (about 200gm each)

To serve: basmati rice and lime wedges

Curry sauce

1 tbsp ghee

10 fresh curry leaves

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4 golden shallots, thinly sliced

6 cardamom pods, cracked

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp fenugreek

¼ tsp chilli powder

1 cinnamon quill

2½ tbsp Sri Lankan curry powder (see note)

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1.25 litres fish stock (5 cups)

500 ml coconut cream (2 cups)

Juice of 1 lime

Coconut sambal

1 small dry coconut

1 tbsp Maldive fish (optional; see note)

3 tsp chilli powder

1 small Spanish onion, very finely chopped

1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed

Method

Main

1.For curry sauce, heat ghee in a saucepan over medium heat, add curry leaves and fry until crackling (30 seconds). Add garlic, shallot, cardamom, fennel seeds, fenugreek, chilli powder and cinnamon and stir occasionally until shallot is tender (5-7 minutes). Add curry powder and turmeric and fry until fragrant (1 minute). Add stock and 500ml water, bring to the simmer, and reduce by half. Add coconut cream, bring to the simmer, reduce until slightly thickened (10-15 minutes), strain (discard solids) and keep warm.

2.For coconut sambal, combine ingredients in a bowl, stir and season to taste.

3.Heat half the ghee in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook half the fish, skin-side down, turning once, until golden and cooked through (3-4 minutes each side). Add remaining ghee and cook second batch of fish.

4.Add lime juice to curry sauce and season to taste. Divide rice between plates, top with snapper, pour sauce over then top with sambal and serve with lime wedges.

Note Sri Lankan curry powder is available from Asian grocers. Maldive fish, dried tuna, is available from Asian grocers.
Notes

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.

Styling by Alice Storey

Styling by Lucy Weight

Ingredients

Method

Main

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