Monkfish Moilee

I thought it was about time I tried a new curry recipe on here, after having had several requests from family and friends, for something they could try too!

Gordon Ramsay’s big yellow ‘Great Escape’ Curry book was staring at me from the bookshelf as soon as I thought about doing a new blog post, so decided to use it, to look for a fish curry recipe, as a change from all the meat I normally use.

As soon as saw this recipe, I knew it was perfect, as I had never cooked with Monkfish but it was something I had always wanted to try, especially after seeing countless chefs on TV show how easy it was to remove the large bone and then cook with it.

According to Gordon, a fish moilee is simple coconut fish curry from Kerala on the west coast of India. Some consider it an Anglo-Indian dish as it was commonly found in other Southeast Asian cuisines connected through the British Empire.

It is perfect for this time of year, especially with the warm weather we have been having, as it is not too heavy, even with the meaty Monkfish tail. Definitely one recipe to pin on the side of the fridge!

Serves 4

Ingredients:
500g skinless and boneless Monkfish tails
¼ tsp Ground Turmeric
½ tsp Sea Salt
Juice of 1 Lime
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Large Onion, peeled and finely chopped
3cm Ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely crushed
3 Green Chillies, deseeded and sliced in half lengthways
4 Curry Leaves
400ml tin Coconut Milk
6 Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
Coriander leaves to garnish

1. Cut the monkfish tails into bite sized chunks and place in a bowl.

2. Mix together the turmeric, salt and lime juice to create a wet paste, then mix this with the monkfish chunks and leave to marinate for about 20 minutes.

3. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium to high heat.

4. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, chillies, curry leaves and salt. Stir frequently for 5-6 minutes until the onion is translucent and soft.

5. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.

6. Add the marinated fish and cherry tomatoes and gently simmer for another 4-5 minutes until the fish is cooked through.

To serve, ladle the curry into a warm bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with plain rice.

Enjoy!