Fragrant Sri Lankan Hake Curry

A really delicious recipe that takes me back to Sri Lanka and a gorgeous holiday a couple of years back. Fragrantly spiced and really light, this recipe can be frozen and stored until you need it or eaten straight away. It's easy to prepare in advance for a dinner party. If you don't want to freeze it, assemble as per the instructions below and pop into the fridge until you need it and your friends are ready for an absolute treat!

Sri Lankan curry powder:

(this stores beautifully for a couple of months if you have some leftover)  

• 2 teaspoons of Coriander seeds 
  
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds 
  
• 1 star anise 
  
• 1 small stick of cinnamon  
  
• ½ teaspoons of black pepper 
  
• 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds 
  
• ½ teaspoon of fenugreek  
  
• ½ teaspoon of dried chilli flakes  
  

Ingredients

• Oil for frying  
  
• 1 large onion diced 
  
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped 
  
• 4 curry leaves 
  
• 1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds  
  
• 3 tablespoons of Sri lankan curry powder 
  
• 1 tin of 400ml chopped tomatoes  
  
• 1 tin of 400ml coconut milk  
  
• 1 tin of chickpeas, washed and drained  
  
• 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder 
  
• 200g baby spinach leaves  
  
• ½ bunch of chopped coriander leaves 
  
• ½ a lime, juice only 
  
• Salt and pepper to taste  
  
• 1 side of hake or white fish, pinned and skinned  

Method:  

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF), Gas Mark 4 

1. Firstly make the Sri Lankan curry powder. Place all the curry powder ingredients in a spice blender or a pestle and mortar and blend until smooth.  
2. In a saucepan on medium heat, add a glug of oil and then the onion, slowly sweat until translucent and soft for about 10 minutes  
3. Once the onion is soft add the garlic, chilli, curry leaves, mustard seeds and 2 tablespoons of the curry powder. Then cook the spices for 5 minutes, or until aromatic.  
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk and reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes to reduce the sauce and it thickens.  
5. Toss the chickpeas in the turmeric and place on a baking tray, roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  
6. When the curry sauce is ready take off the heat and add the roasted chickpeas, fresh spinach, chopped coriander leaves and lime juice season with salt and pepper to taste.  
7. Cut the hake into 100g portions and set aside the portions you are freezing. If you are eating some now place the curry sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and put the hake fillets on top, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the sri lankan curry powder mixture along with a little salt. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through. 
8.  Serve with rice and an extra lime wedge

To freeze in individual portions: In freezable and microwaveable or oven proof containers portion out 200g of the curry sauce mixture and cool. Then place the raw hake fillet on top, seal tightly with a lid and label clearly with a best before date of 6 months.   

To reheat straight from frozen, microwave:  Put into the microwave (800W) with the lid on for 3 minutes, take out of the microwave and remove the lid, place the lid on top but not sealed closed then put the container back into the microwave and heat for another 5 minutes or until piping hot. Leave to stand for 3 minutes before serving

To reheat straight from frozen, oven:  Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF), Gas Mark 4. Take the lid off the oven proof container and then cover the top with foil to ensure the food will not dry in the reheating process. Place on a baking tray and heat in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes or until piping hot, Leave to stand for 3 minutes before serving.