Pan-Fried Cod with Tamarind Coconut Curry Sauce

This dish is an absolute banger! And by that I mean every ingredient gives real bang for its buck. A hint of tangy lime which lightly cures the fish, a background hum of garlic then a good kick of chilli from the sriracha, mellowed by the sweet, creamy coconut and the whole dish is brought together by the tamarind with its sourness cutting through the richness.

I love this dish. It's as simple as that. Minimal ingredients, super healthy, bags of flavour - perfection! You can swap the cod for any sustainable white fish and you can serve with regular rice or even flatbreads if you like. The heart of the dish is the sauce so don't change that (!) and make sure you cure your fish in lime and garlic before cooking because it makes it meltingly tender once cooked.

Pan-Fried Cod with Tamarind Coconut Curry Sauce

Serves 4

oil

2 limes, juiced 
2 garlic cloves, crushed 
4 cod fillets, skinless 
2 red onions, finely chopped 

2 tbsp sriracha sauce 

2 tbsp tamarind paste

400ml coconut milk 

1 large cauliflower, cut into small florets

flour, for dusting

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix the lime juice and garlic in a shallow dish, then season with salt and pepper. Add the cod fillets and turn them over, then set aside. 

Blitz the cauliflower in a food processor until you have fine crumbs resembling grains of rice. Heat a little oil in a large saucepan and add the cauliflower rice. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the onions with a big pinch of salt for 10 minutes until they are tender. Add the sriracha sauce, tamarind paste and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to a very low bubble and cook gently until thickened (around 5 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Shake any excess lime off the fish and dust it with flour. Heat a thin layer of oil in a separate frying pan and fry the fish for about 1-2 minutes on each side until they are brown and cooked through. Divide the cauliflower rice between dishes, pour on the curry sauce and then top with a cod fillet each.