Quick and easy Kerala style fish curry

I grew up eating the fiery Kerala red fish curry that my friends mum used to make… it’s tangy with kokum and full of spices and very addictive. Her fish curry is still the best that I have eaten, and the last time I met her I asked her for the recipe.

But today, I was in the mood for the fish curry but not in the mood for cooking it. Plus I didn’t have any fresh fish. On another site I follow, I had a seen a recipe for Goan fish curry that used tinned sardines for speed and convenience. So I combined the two ideas, with some pinches of my own innovation to produce a very quick version of the Kerala fish curry. It was close enough for me to be a good substitute when I’m in a hurry. But best of all, it convinced my partner who isn’t fond of tinned sardines that this was a dish worth repeating.

East Indian curry with prawns, green beans and coconut

On a weekday, I’m not often left with too much time or energy to do anything complicated. That’s when prawns are a handy thing to have in the freezer. They’re quick to cook and we all love them. So win-win. And nowadays I’m trying to bring more green veg into our food, so I’ve decided that when I’m making my own dish and not following a ‘traditional’ recipe, I will try and add in some vegetables where earlier I may not have.

Avocado breakfast with bacon and poached eggs

I love avocados. I can’t get enough of their delicate nuttiness. And I keep trying to come up with different combinations for using this wonderful ingredient.

This latest recipe is so simple, I’m not sure I should even call it a ‘recipe’. Fry up a couple of rashers of streaky bacon (I prefer unsmoked), slice up and avocado and poach an egg (make sure the yolk is still molten). Arrange the ingredients on your plate and sprinkle with sea salt and togarashi (a Japanese spice powder). That’s it!

Panang curry with aubergines, celery and king prawns

I always have a few Thai curry pastes (green & red curry and Tom Yum) in my stock cupboard. They are great not only for the standard curries but also as flavours for stir-fries. Recently, I also discovered panang curry paste and I have enjoyed playing around with it in various prawn dishes. This particular recipe is fairly quick to make and is very moreish.