Red Thai Cashew Basa With Soy Greens And Fluffy Rice

By Gousto

Red Thai Cashew Basa With Soy Greens And Fluffy Rice

Inspired by chuu chee pla, this flavour-packed basa in red curry sauce will transport you to Thailand in one bite. You’ll whip up an aromatic coconut and cashew sauce with tender hake bites before bubbling until fragrant. Finish with Thai basil leaves and serve with soy greens and fluffy rice.

Ingredients

For 2 people [double for 4]

1 Thai basil
2 x 100g basa fillets
25g cashew nuts
1 dried lime leaf
80g fine green beans
8ml fish sauce
1 fresh lemongrass stalk
15g fresh root ginger
1 garlic clove
1 red chilli
25g solid creamed coconut
8ml soy sauce
80g spinach
130g white long grain rice

You’ll also need

Vegetable oil, sugar, salt, water

Cooking instructions 40 mins

For 2 people [double for 4]

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7. Bash your lemongrass with a rolling pin. Remove the tough outer layers of the lemongrass and set aside for later and chop the softer inner core[s] roughly. Peel and roughly chop your ginger. Crush half your garlic open by squashing them with the side of a knife and peel and chop the remaining garlic finely.

Step 2

Cut your red chilli[es] in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and strip your Thai basil leaves from their stalks. Add half your cashew nuts to a food processor with the crushed garlic and a generous pinch of salt and blitz until smooth. Add the peeled ginger, chilli halves (can’t handle the heat? Go easy!), chopped lemongrass, Thai basil stalks, dried lime leaf[ves] and fish sauce with 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] vegetable oil and a splash of cold water and blitz until a paste forms – this is your red Thai curry paste.

Step 3

Add your white long grain rice to a pot with a lid with 225ml [300ml] [450ml] cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked. Once done, remove from the heat and set aside (lid on) to steam until serving. Boil half a kettle.

Step 4

Wash your spinach and trim your green beans. Add the spinach, trimmed green beans, chopped garlic and reserved lemongrass outer leaves to a large piece of tin foil with your soy sauce and 2 tbsp [3 tbsp] [4 tbsp] cold water. Scrunch the foil around the greens to form a tightly sealed parcel and add to a baking tray and put it in the oven for 10-12 min or until the beans are tender – these are your soy greens.

Step 5

Heat a large, wide-based dry pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium heat. Once hot, add the remaining cashew nuts and cook for 2-3 min or until toasted, then add 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar with a pinch of salt and give everything a good mix up until the sugar has melted and slightly caramelised – these are your caramelised cashews. Once done, transfer the cashews to a clean board and reserve the pan. Tip: Watch like a hawk so they don’t burn!

Step 6

Chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!). Return the pan to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil. Once hot, add your red Thai curry paste and cook for 3-4 min or until fragrant. Once fragrant, add 150ml [200ml] [250ml] boiled water, chopped coconut cream, 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and a pinch of salt and give everything a good mix up.

Step 7

Add your basa fillets and cook, covered, for 6-8 min or until cooked through and coated in sauce. Stir the Thai basil leaves through the sauce – this is your red Thai cashew basa. Tip: Your fish is cooked once it turns opaque and flakes easily.

Step 8

Serve the cooked rice in bowls with the soy greens to the side, discard the lemongrass. Top the rice with red Thai cashew basa and any sauce. Sprinkle over the caramelised cashews.