Pan-fried Sea Bass with Coconut & Turmeric Gravy

SERVES 4
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins

INGREDIENTS
400ml Moilee Gravy (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
4 x 150g sea bass or sea bream fillets, skinned, scored and patted dry 30g butter
juice of ½ lemon
sea salt

FOR THE BEETROOT MASH
300g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 5mm cubes
4–5 tablespoons milk, as needed
4 tablespoons double cream
30g butter
100g boiled beetroot, peeled and finely diced
TO GARNISH
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
Pickled Onion, separated into ‘petals’
very finely diced peeled and cooked beetroot
deep-fried curry leaves
coconut shavings, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan
sea purslane leaves

METHOD
 First make the beetroot mash. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until they are very tender, then drain well and mash thoroughly and set aside. Place the milk, cream and butter in a small saucepan and bring to the simmer. Add to the potatoes with salt to taste and mix well. Set aside and keep hot.

Season the fish fillets with salt. Melt the coconut oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the fish, skin side down, for 2 minutes, or until the skin is crisp. Flip the fish over and add the butter and lemon juice and fry for a further 1–2 minutes, basting with the lemony pan juices, until a cocktail stick inserted in the centre meets no resistance. Drain on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil.

Just before serving, stir the beetroot into the mashed potatoes and gently reheat, if necessary. Serve the fish with the beetroot mash and the gravy spooned around. Garnish and serve immediately.

MOILEE GRAVY

MAKES ABOUT 450ML
1 tablespoon coconut or sunflower oil
6 green chillies, slit lengthways
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 medium onions or large shallots, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 small knob of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into julienne sticks
10 curry leaves
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
400ml coconut milk
sea salt

Melt the coconut oil in a frying pan, add the chillies, garlic, onions, ginger and mustard seeds, and sauté over a medium heat until the seeds crackle.

Reheat the moilee gravy gently and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, then set aside and keep hot.

Add the curry leaves and continue sautéing for 3–5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the turmeric and salt to taste, pour in the coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, very gently for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly.

Adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Remove from the heat and set aside until required. This will keep for a day in a covered container in the fridge. Do not freeze.