Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon/15 ml vegetable oil
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 lemongrass stalk, halved crosswise
1/4 cup/60 g yellow curry paste
4 slices peeled fresh ginger
2 kaffir lime leaves
One 14-ounce/400-ml can unsweetened coconut milk
Four 6-ounce/185-g striped bass filets
Salt, to taste
8 ounces/225 g fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup/5 g fresh cilantro leaves
Thai Coconut Rice (see recipe)

Method:

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 2 minutes or until soft. Using the back of a large knife, gently pound the lemongrass to bruise it all over.

Add the lemongrass, curry paste, ginger and kaffir lime leaves to the shallots. Sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant.Add the coconut milk and stir to blend in the curry paste. Simmer uncovered for a further 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Add the striped bass to the curry sauce. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes. You will know the fish is done when a toothpick can easily pierce through the flesh of the fish without any resistance.

Discard the ginger, lime leaves and lemongrass. Season the curry to taste with salt, if necessary. Using a metal spatula, transfer the fish to a plate. Return the curry sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Add the spinach to the curry sauce and toss for 2 minutes or just until the spinach wilts.

Mound the spinach in the center of 4 large dinner plates, dividing equally. Place the fish atop the spinach and garnish with the cilantro. Serve with Thai Coconut Rice.