Coconut & Lime Fish Curry
This curry leans on the Sri Lankan holy trinity of curry leaves, pandan and cinnamon, softened in coconut milk with a gentle roasted curry powder. It is aromatic rather than fiery — the heat is a low hum you can turn up if you want.
Firm white fish is the one to use: it needs to hold its shape in the sauce, so hake, pollock, coley or monkfish all work better than delicate flat fish. The fish goes in near the end and poaches in barely eight minutes, so most of the cooking is building the sauce.
Lime does the final lift — added off the heat so it stays sharp and fresh. Serve with rice, and lime wedges for people to add their own.
For the curry
To serve
Toss the fish chunks with a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lime and 1 teaspoon of the curry powder. Set aside in the fridge while you make the sauce.
Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the curry leaves, cinnamon and knotted pandan, if using, and let them crackle for 30 seconds. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 8 minutes until soft and pale gold.
Stir in the garlic, ginger, green chilli, the remaining curry powder and the turmeric. Cook for 1 minute, then add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes until they soften and release their juice.
Pour in the coconut milk and the water or stock. Bring to a very gentle simmer — do not boil hard or the coconut milk can split — and cook for 5 minutes to let the flavours come together. Taste for salt.
Slide the fish chunks into the sauce in a single layer. Spoon the sauce over them, cover, and poach gently for 6–8 minutes until the fish is just opaque and flakes at a gentle push.
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the juice of the remaining lime and half the coriander, being gentle so the fish stays whole. Serve over rice, scattered with the rest of the coriander, with lime wedges.
Curry leaves: Fresh are worth seeking out and freeze well. Dried are a weaker substitute; use double. Skip if you truly can't find them — the curry will still be good.
Roasted curry powder: Sri Lankan roasted (dark) curry powder is darker and nuttier than Indian curry powder. A regular mild curry powder works, toasted briefly in the dry pan first.
Fish: Cut into large 4cm chunks so it doesn't fall apart. Add prawns or mussels for the last few minutes if you like.
Ahead: Best eaten fresh — the fish overcooks on reheating. The sauce can be made ahead and the fish added just before serving.