Choo Chee Fish Curry (Choo Chee Pla)

Ingredients

• 1 fish (sea bass/red tilapia) or 400g fish fillet
• 2 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 cup coconut milk
• Fish sauce + palm sugar
• Kaffir lime leaves + sliced red spur chili

Method

• Fry the fish until cooked and crisp-skinned; rest on a rack
• Fry curry paste in thick coconut cream until the oil splits and it smells fragrant
• Add the rest of the coconut milk, season with fish sauce and sugar; simmer to thicken
• Spoon the choo chee sauce over the fish, top with shredded lime leaf and red chili; serve

How to choose ingredients

Choose firm, fresh fish with no off smell · Fresh or good-quality coconut milk is richer · Use bright-green kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded.

Chef's secret

Chef's secret: fry the paste in thick coconut cream until it "splits" and red oil floats that's where the aroma and glossy sauce come from · reduce until it just coats the fish, neither runny nor dry.

Order quality fresh fish + curry paste + coconut milk as a set from Fresh Market Online.