Coconut Fish With Cucumber Salad

This is a recipe from Bill Granger that I love.  Not only is it delicious, but it's really easy to make.

Ingredients
250ml (1 cup) fish or chicken stock)
1 x 400ml ( 1 1/3 cups) tin coconut milk *
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon caster sugar
2-3 kaffir lime leaves
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised
1 small red chilli, split lengthways
4 x 175g (6oz) firm white fish fillets such as snapper or barramundi, skin removed
1 tablespoon lime juice
Extra kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced, to garnish

Place the stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, lime leaves, lemon grass and chilli in a large pot over a medium to high heat.  Boil for 10 minutes, then lower the heat and bring to a simmer.  Add the fish and poach for 2 – 3 minutes, or until the fish starts to flake when lightly pressed with the edge of a fork  Remove the fish from the pan, cover and set aside.  Reduce the sauce for another 5 minutes over high heat until thickened slightly.  Strain and stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice.  Pour over the fish.  Any leftover poaching liquid can be served in small soup bowls as a delicious accompaniment.  Garnish with extra lime leaves and serve with steamed rice, the cucumber salad.

Cucumber Salad
2 large chillies, seeded and finely sliced on the diagonal
30 g (1/2 cup) picked coriander leaves
3 red Asian shallots or ½ small red onion, finely sliced
5 g (1/4 cup) mint leaves
20 snow peas, blanched and finely sliced
2 Lebanese (small) cucumbers, cut in half lengthways and sliced on the diagonal
Dressing below

Place all the ingredients except dressing in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate until serving.  Toss through dressing just before serving.

Dressing **
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 small red chilli, finely chopped (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

* If you can, use Mae Ploy coconut milk from an asian grocers.  It's much thicker and nicer.

** The half assed option is to use a ready made dressing.  Vietnamese dipping sauce (for spring rolls) is fantastic to use in asian salads.