Red Thai-Style Cashew Hake With Soy Greens And Fluffy Rice

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7

Bash your lemongrass with a rolling pin

Remove the tough outer layers of the lemongrass and set aside for later and chop the softer inner core[s] roughly

Peel and roughly chop your ginger, then crush half your garlic open by squashing it with the side of a knife and peel and chop the remaining garlic finely

Cut your red chilli[es] in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and strip your Thai basil leaves from their stalks, then add half your cashew nuts (you'll use the rest later!) to a food processor with the crushed garlic and a generous pinch of salt and blitz until smooth

Add the peeled ginger, chilli halves (can't handle the heat? Go easy!), chopped lemongrass, Thai basil stalks, dried lime leaf[ves] and fish sauce with 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] vegetable oil and a splash of cold water and blitz until a paste forms – this is your red Thai curry paste

Add your white long grain rice to a pot with a lid with 225ml [300ml] [450ml] cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once done, remove from the heat and set aside (lid on) to steam until serving

Wash your spinach and trim your green beans

Add the spinach, trimmed green beans, chopped garlic and reserved lemongrass outer leaves to a large piece of tin foil with your soy sauce and 2 tbsp [3 tbsp] [4 tbsp] cold water

Scrunch the foil around the greens to form a tightly sealed parcel and add to a baking tray and put it in the oven for 10-12 min or until the beans are tender – these are your soy greens

Tip: Cooking for 3 or more? Make 2 parcels!

Heat a large, wide-based dry pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium heat

Once hot, add the remaining cashew nuts and cook for 2-3 min or until toasted, then add 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar with a pinch of salt and give everything a good mix up until the sugar has melted and slightly caramelised

Tip: Watch them like a hawk to make sure they don't burn!

Once done, transfer the cashews to a clean board and reserve the pan – these are your caramelised cashews

Chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Return the pan to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil

Once hot, add your red Thai curry paste and cook for 3-4 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add 150ml [200ml] [250ml] boiled water with the chopped coconut cream, 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and a pinch of salt and give everything a good mix up

Add your hake fillet[s] and cook, covered, for 6-8 min or until cooked through and coated in sauce

Stir the Thai basil leaves through the sauce – this is your red Thai-style cashew hake

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

Fluff your cooked rice with a fork