Pan-fried crusted fish curry

Ingredients:

• 4 dried red chillies
• 100g/4oz shallots
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 lemon grass stalks, white part only
• and tough outer layer removed,
• finely sliced
• 4 fresh coriander roots
• 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
• 1⁄2 teaspoon green peppercorns,
• roughly chopped
• 125ml/4fl oz vegetable oil
• 4 skinless snapper fillets, about
• 200g/7oz each
• 125ml/4fl oz coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed
• lime juice

• Soak the chillies in a bowl of boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain andchop roughly.

• Put the chillies, shallots, garlic, lemon grass, coriander, lime zest,ppercorns and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a blender or food processor,and purée until a smooth paste forms. Spread the paste over one side of each snapper fillet.

• Heat the remaining oil in a large heavy pan. Cook the snapper fillets for 3 minutes on each side until just cooked.

• Stir together the coconut milk, fish sauce, lime leaves and lime juice in a bowl or jug. Pour over the snapper fillets, and simmer for 3 minutes. Serve hot.