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Creamy coconut monkfish molee
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 25g extra virgin raw coconut oil
- 200g onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with sea salt
- 2tsp freshly ground coriander
- 1tsp freshly ground cumin
- 1⁄4tsp black pepper
- 1tsp turmeric
- 5 curry leaves
- 250ml coconut cream
- 350g ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and finely diced
- 2 x 300-350g monkfish tail, skin removed
- 1tsp sea salt
- 20g coconut flakes, toasted
- large handful coriander leaves (half finely chopped, the rest kept whole)
For the okra
- 175-200g okra
- 1tbsp organic raw coconut oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed to a paste with sea salt
To serve
- 4 poppadoms
Method
Monkfish have quite stubborn dark brown slithery skins. Usually the huge head and outer skin is removed, which is about two- thirds of the actual fish. A veil of pale grey sticky membrane often remains over the tail end but it’s easy to remove with a sharp knife if you get in between the flesh and the membrane. A tail normally weighs between 350-400g and is plenty for 2 as a main course. It’s simple to slice the 2 fillets off the only central cartilaginous bone.
To make the molee, melt the coconut oil in a heavy-based frying pan, add the onion and cook over a low-medium heat for 10 minutes until a pale golden colour. Add the garlic and stir-fry for a minute. Add the ground coriander, spices and curry leaves and stir well. Pour in the coconut cream and simmer over a gentle heat for around 5 minutes.
Add in the tomatoes then reduce the heat.
Meanwhile, slice the fillets off each monkfish tail. Cut the fillets into 3.5cm pieces, rub with the sea salt and add to the pan. Cook in the sauce for 5 minutes or until the fish is tender. Remove the curry leaves then add the chopped coriander, take off the heat and set aside.
To cook the okra, firstly, trim the tips. In a frying pan over a medium heat, melt the coconut oil with the garlic and when it fizzes, stir to break up and immediately add the okra. Pour in a splash of boiling water, cover, lower the heat and cook for about 4 minutes until just tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
Divide the molee and okra between four bowls. Scatter over the toasted coconut flakes and whole coriander leaves and serve with the poppadoms.
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