Keralan-Style Basa Curry With Lime & Chilli Rice

Boil half a kettle and heat a large, dry, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a high heat

Once hot, add your coriander seeds and fennel seeds and cook for 1-2 min or until fragrant and toasted

Tip: Watch them like a hawk so they don't burn!

Once toasted, transfer to a food processor and reserve the pan for later

Pat your basa fillet[s] dry with kitchen paper and chop them into rough bite-sized pieces

Return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil, then once hot, add the chopped basa and cook for 4-5 min on each side or until golden, once browned, add your ground turmeric and cook for a further 1 min

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

Transfer the cooked basa to a plate, reserve the pan

Peel and roughly chop your shallot[s]

Roughly chop your tomato[es]

Peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and roughly chop your ginger

Peel and roughy chop your garlic

Trim and chop your green beans in half

Add the chopped shallot, tomato, ginger and garlic to the food processor with the seeds

Add a pinch of salt and pepper and blitz until smooth – this is your spice paste

Chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Dissolve your vegetable stock mix and chopped creamed coconut in 200ml [260ml] [350ml] boiled water – this is your coconut stock

Add your basmati rice 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

Meanwhile, return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat

Add the spice paste and cook for 4-5 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the halved green beans and coconut stock and cook for 5-7 min or until thickened to a curry-like consistency

Once thickened, return the cooked basa to the pan and cook for 1-2 min further or until warmed through – this is your Keralan-style basa curry

Meanwhile, zest half your lime[s] (try to grate lightly with a micro-plane or sharp box grater and avoid grating the white pith, as this is very bitter), then cut in half

Cut your green chilli[es] in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and chop finely

Add the lime zest and half the chopped chilli (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) to the basmati rice and give it a good mix up – this is your lime & chilli rice