Red curry and basil salmon

 

Recipe : Thai red curry and basil salmon

2 chunky, boneless salmon fillets about 1/2 lb each

1/2 cup thick coconut cream taken from the top of a tin of coconut milk. (Don't shake the can, let it settle for a while first if it's already been agitated. Leave the thin watery liquid underneath in the can and use for something else)

2 tbsp Thai curry paste (any type is fine)

1 tbsp fish sauce (plus more to taste)

1 - 2 tsp raw cane sugar

juice of half a lime

a few large leaves of basil, torn into strips

Heat the sauce ingredients in a pan over medium heat until thickened and well combined. Taste and adjust with a little more fish sauce, lime juice and sugar until you have a salty, sweet and sour taste combination that you like.

Heat the oven to 375oF. Place the salmon fillets on a large piece of foil that is big enough to snugly wrap up the fish and pour the sauce over. (It helps if you fold in the edges of the foil first, to create a type of dish. This prevents any sauce flowing onto your work surface). 

Arrange the basil leaves on top of the fish and fold over the foil to create a parcel. Use another large piece of foil to wrap again and ensure the parcel is well sealed. Place the foil package on a baking dish and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, by which time the fish should be cooked through and the sauce highly aromatic. Remove from the oven and unwrap the fish. I served this with a baked potato which I stuffed with butter and some stir fried veggies seasoned with chili and garlic. Rice would also be a good accompaniment to soak up the wonderful juice.