Curry Leaf-crusted Fish In Lemon Myrtle Coconut Sauce With Finger Lime & Sweet Potato Salad

Most fish will work well for this recipe, although you want the flesh to be between 2-3cm thick for the best result.
John Dory, snapper, sea bass, salmon, halibut and trevally all work well.

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Instructions

1.	Lightly salt the fish fillets on both sides and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
2.	Pat dry with kitchen paper and place on a clean tray or plate.
3.	Sprinkle half the curry leaves on top and press them in, then flip the fish over and sprinkle the remainder of the leaves on, pressing them in firmly.
4.	Seal tightly with clingfilm and leave in the refrigerator while you make the rest of the components.
5.	In a medium pan, sauté the diced shallot in the extra vegetable oil over a medium heat for 4 minutes until it has become slightly translucent.
6.	Add the ginger and garlic and fry for 3 minutes until aromatic.
7.	Add the lemon myrtle, turmeric and coriander seeds and sauté for another 30 seconds, stirring gently.
8.	Add the fish stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer until the liquid has reduced by a third.
9.	Add the coconut milk and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until reduced by a third.
10.	Taste for seasoning.
11.	Steam or boil the sweet potatoes in lightly salted water until just done – a little al dente is better than overcooked.
12.	Drain and leave to cool on a tray to come to room temperature.
13.	Once cooled, transfer them to a large bowl and squeeze in half the finger lime pulp.
14.	Add the Vietnamese mint, chives, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt and gently mix it all together.
15.	Taste for seasoning.
16.	Drizzle 1⁄2 teaspoon of oil over each fish fillet (2 teaspoons in total).
17.	Heat a pan and, when medium-hot, carefully place the fish fillets in.
18.	If your pan can only hold 2 or 3 fillets, then cook two at a time.
19.	You want the curry leaves to crispen up before you carefully flip them over and cook the same way on the other side.
20.	The fish should be slightly undercooked in the centre before you remove the fillets.
21.	The easiest way to check is to use a sharp knife to cut into the thickest part of the fillet – it shouldn’t be fully cooked all the way through.
22.	Once cooked, remove the fish fillets to a warm plate.
23.	Divide the sweet potato salad between 4 plates and lay a fillet of fish on top of each one.
24.	Give the coconut sauce a good stir, then spoon it on top of the fish.
25.	Squeeze over the remaining finger lime pulp.