MKR episode 22 recipe: Choo Chee Ocean Trout with Papaya Salad

Prep time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves 4.

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Ingredients

4 x 200g fillets skinless ocean trout

Seasoned cornflour, to dust

Peanut oil, for deep frying

Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Coconut cream, to drizzle

Fried shallots, coriander and Thai basil leaves, to garnish

Choo Chee Curry Paste

10 dried red chillies

1 red onion, chopped

1 large stick lemongrass (white part only), chopped

2cm piece galangal, peeled, finely grated

Finely grated zest of 1 kaffir limes

1cm piece fresh turmeric, finely grated

6 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tbs finely chopped coriander roots

Curry sauce

1 tbs coconut oil

3 tbs Choo chee curry paste

2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

400g can coconut milk

1 tbs grated palm sugar

2 tsp fish sauce

1 tbs lime juice

Salad dressing

90g palm sugar, grated

60ml lime juice

60ml fish sauce

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 small red chillies, finely chopped (seeded optional)

2 tbs dried shrimp

Papaya Salad

4 snake beans, cut into 4cm lengths

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

120g roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1 green papaya, peeled, shredded

1 long red chilli, thinly sliced

1/2 cup Thai basil leaves

Method

1. To make curry paste, place chillies in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 1 hour to soak. Drain and reserve soaking water. Coarsely chop chillies and place in a small blender or processor with remaining curry paste ingredients. Blend, slowly adding enough of the reserved chilli soaking water, to form a fine paste.

2. To make curry sauce, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add curry paste and lime leaves. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Add coconut milk and palm sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to lowest and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Stir in lime juice and fish sauce.

3. To make salad dressing, place sugar, lime juice and fish sauce in a bowl. Set aside for sugar to soften and dissolve.

4. Place garlic, chillies and shrimp in a pestle and mortar and pound to form a coarse paste. Add to sugar mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.

5. To make salad, lightly pound snake beans in a mortar and pestle. Add 2 tablespoons of the dressing and toss to coat. Transfer to bowl a bowl with remaining salad ingredients and enough dressing to coat. Toss to combine.

6. Season salmon and toss in seasoned cornflour. Deep fry for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp on the outside. Drain on paper towel.

7. Serve salmon, curry sauce and rice with papaya salad and any remaining dressing. Drizzle salmon with coconut cream. Garnish with fried shallots, coriander and Thai basil leaves.