Sunday 7 August 2011

Thai Sour Fish Curry

I call it a curry but really it's more like a soup. I've been craving sour things recently, that bite of lime or tamarind and blazing heat on the tongue. I also have a habit of picking up new and unknown vegetables, and it just so happened that the 'bai yor' I bought on impulse is perfect for Thai fish curries. Thus a plan fell into place.

Firstly, a spicy curry paste is made. Various vegetables are simmered with stock and said curry paste, and the final touch is to blitz just-cooked white fish into flakes, then add it to the soup for essential fish flavour, texture and to thicken it up a bit. I used the cheapest white fish I could find for this, coley; alternatively, you could just drop chunks of white fish in to poach. The bai yor leaves go in last for a final simmer; they act like spinach and wilt down, adding a slightly bitter flavour to the dish. It's fine to leave out if you can't find it.

Sour Fish Curry

Serves 2

For the paste

5 red birds eye chillis
5 dried chillis
2 stalks of lemongrass, soft innards only
1 inch piece of galangal
2 tbsp tamarind paste
1 small onion
6 cloves of garlic
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Soften dried chillis in hot water. Deseed the chillis and blitz with the rest of the ingredients into a fine paste. You may need to add a little oil.

10 prawns
200gr white fish
A handful of green beans
A few leaves of Chinese cabbage
A few bai yor leaves (optional)
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 lime
300mls fish or chicken stock
A handful of coriander, chopped

In a pan, add the curry paste and fry gently for a few minutes. Add the stock and the Chinese cabbage, then then green beans cut into inch long pieces. Simmer for a few minutes. Either add the fish in chunks or cook the fish separately and blitz into flakes, then add to the soup. Add the bai yor, fish sauce, then the prawns and cook until the prawns turn pink and take off the heat immediately. Serve with a wedge of lime and rice, if desired.

11 comments:

Cook in a Curry said...

This looks so scrummy Lizzie! One of my fav ways of cooking prawns is in tangy curries and soups like this. Must try! x

Richard Elliot said...

The soup looks great. I haven't heard of bai yor before, but I have made Thai salads with betel leaves. The look quite similar, although it isn't easy to tell from the photo!

Where do you get all your Thai ingredients from?

London Foodster said...

Mmm looks tasty! With a squeeze of lime too - yum. x

Unknown said...

mmm, yes does look really good. i'm doing thai green prawn curry tonight from the Blue Elephant cook book, simple and classic thai curry

Unknown said...

mmm does look really good, going to look out for that herb next trip to China town. I'm doing Thai green prawn curry tonight from the blue Elephant, classic but very good.

Miss Cay said...

I love the sweetness and sourness of Thai food, and this looks delicious. I'll definitely be looking out for Bai Yor in my local Chinese supermarket.

Mzungu said...

Looks and reads very nicely indeed. Thanks.

Helen said...

Mmm looks yummers; I'm well into that hot and sour shizzle. Seems nice and healthy too.

PDH said...

I could do with something like this right now! Looks delicious :^)

Helena Lee said...

How it should be. simple and bloody delicious. Looks lovely x

Hollow Legs said...

Thanks everyone!

Richard - From New Loon Moon on Gerrard Street.