Basa Tom Kha Soup With Lemongrass Rice

Boil a full kettle

Peel and finely slice your brown onion[s]

Bash your lemongrass with a rolling pin, remove the tough outer layers and set aside for later, then chop the softer inner core[s] finely

Peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and finely chop (or grate) your ginger

Add your basmati rice, outer lemongrass layers and 300ml [390ml] [600ml] cold water to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving – this is your lemongrass rice

Chop your basa fillet[s] into large, bite-sized pieces

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 min or until beginning to soften

Slice your chestnut mushrooms finely, then chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Dissolve your vegetable stock mix, sriracha (can't handle the heat? Go easy!), 1/2 tsp [3/4 tsp] [1 tsp] sugar and the chopped creamed coconut in 600ml [900ml] [1.2L] boiled water – this is your coconut stock

Once the onion has softened, add the chopped lemongrass, chopped ginger, sliced mushrooms and chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) to the pan and cook for 1 min

Add the coconut stock and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3-4 min or until slightly thickened

Once thickened, add the chopped basa and cook, covered, for 4-5 min further or until cooked through

Tip: Your fish is cooked once it turns opaque and flakes easily

Whilst everything is cooking, pick your coriander leaves from their stalks

Chop your coriander stalks finely

Once the fish is cooked through, add the juice of half your lime[s] and a pinch of salt to the pan

Give everything a good stir – this is your basa tom kha soup

Cut the remaining lime into 1 wedge per person

Discard the outer lemongrass layers from the lemongrass rice