Pan-seared Onaga Fillet with Pumpkin and Curry Sauce
Local vegetables stir-fried with green curry sauce add spicy heat to the creamy smoothness of seared, baked onaga, or red snapper. This is a good company dish. The curry paste and vegetable preparation can be done ahead of time, the onaga is ready after just a few minutes’ preparation, and the vegetables are stir-fried at the last minute. Adjust the heat with the number of chilies used.
Ingredients
- Green Curry Paste
- Shallots - 2
- Garlic Cloves - 2
- Peanut Oil - 1/2 cup
- Green Thai Chilies - 10 small
- Coriander seeds - 10, ground
- Cumin Seeds - 10, ground
- Black peppercorns - 10
- Lemongrass stalks - 2, white part only, chopped
- Galangal or Fresh ginger, - 1 inch, peeled and sliced
- Green Onions - 4, green part only, chopped
- Fresh Cilantro - 2 bunches
- Kaffir Lime Leaves - 10
- Fresh lemon basil leaves - 10
- Kaffir lime zest strips - 3
- Onaga (red snapper) fillets - four, 6-ounce, each 1-1/4 inches thick
- Peanut Oil - 3/4 cup
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Vegetables
- Kabocha Pumpkin - 1/2, or butternut squash, or 1 acorn squash
- Yukon Gold potatoes - 2
- Japanese or Italian eggplant - 1
- Peanut Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Leek - 1, cut into fine julienne
- Carrot - 1, peeled and cut into fine julienne
- Green Onions - 2, green part only, cut into julienne
- Curry Sauce
- Peanut Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Lemongrass stalks - 2, white part only, cut into 4-inch lengths
- Thai chilies - 2, green, minced
- Galangal or Fresh ginger - 1 inch, peeled and julienned
- Kaffir Lime Leaves - 4
- Bamboo shoots - 1 cup, julienned
- Fresh Basil Sprigs - 6
- Fresh cilantro sprigs - 12
- Coconut Milk - 1/3 cup
- Chicken Stock - 1/3 cup
- Green Curry Paste - above
- Vegetables - above
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Fish sauce, p - to taste
- Date palm or raw sugar to taste
- Peanut or canola oil - for deep-frying
Instructions
To make the curry paste: Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
To prepare the fish: Cut each fillet crosswise into four 1-1/2-inch-thick slices. In an ovenproof nonstick or seasoned cast-iron skillet over high heat, heat the oil until almost smoking. Sear the fish for 1 minute on each side, until crisp. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
To prepare the vegetables: Cut the pumpkin or squash, potato, and eggplant into 1-inch cubes and coat with the oil. Season with salt and pepper, put in a roasting pan, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until three-fourths cooked. Let cool to room temperature. (The vegetables will continue to cook as they cool.) Drain again and set aside.
Blanch the leek, carrot, and green onions in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and plunge into ice water. Set aside.
To make the curry: In a wok over high heat, heat the oil and stir-fry the lemongrass, chili, galangal or ginger, lime leaves, and bamboo shoots for 1 minute. Add the basil and cilantro, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and add the coconut milk, stock, curry paste, and vegetables. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
To make the garnish: Remove the leeks, carrots, and green onions from the cold water and scramble them together. Divide the vegetable scramble into fourths. Drain until nearly dry on paper towels; blot well. In a deep fryer or wok over high heat, heat the oil to smoking. In a frying basket or with a slotted spoon, lower one tangle of vegetables into the hot oil and fry for 15 seconds. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining tangles.
To serve: Place 1 fillet in a corner of each plate. Top the fish with curried vegetables. Place a tangle of fried vegetables on top of each serving.
