Thai Monkfish Lime and Coconut Stir-fry
– How to Cheat

This one is, I confess, not a blatant cheat but then it doesn’t need to be because so speedy is it you will hardly notice that it’s all pretty real. Except that originally the sauce would have involved the laborious task of grating and squeezing fresh coconut to obtain the milk. Now all that is saved by being able to buy it in a tin. If you want to save yourself the trouble of shredding the spring onions then just whack them into a mini chopper – not so aesthetically pleasing but much quicker.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) monkfish
1 lb (450 g) monkfish (ask the fishmonger to trim it and cut it into bite-sized pieces)
grated zest and juice 1 large lime
150 ml tinned coconut milk
1 dessertspoon olive oil
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 dessertspoon Thai fish sauce
4 heaped tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
4 spring onions, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) shreds, including the green parts

You will also need a frying pan with a diameter of 10 inches (25.5 cm), or a wok.

First of all place the monkfish in a bowl with the lime juice and zest. Stir well and leave them to marinate for 20 minutes.

When you're ready to cook the monkfish, heat the oil in the pan or wok over a high heat, add the pieces of fish and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, tossing them around to turn a nice golden colour.

Then add the chilli, stir-fry for 1 more minute, and next, add the coconut milk, fish sauce and half the coriander and spring onions. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, then simply serve with Thai fragrant rice and the remaining coriander and spring onions sprinkled over.

How to Cheat Hero Ingredients*:

1 x 400 ml tin coconut milk

How To Cheat Equipment Hero:
Kenwood CH180 Mini Chopper, about £18.95
Available from Woolworths, Argos, larger Boots stores, Sainsbury’s, House of Fraser, Allders and Safeway

Delia says, 'If you want to short-circuit lots of tedious chopping and knife sharpening, I’m really enthusiastic about this ingenious mini food processor. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley: 2 seconds, ¾ packet watercress: 4-5 seconds, a finely chopped onion… you name it – thousands of fast little processes that save you time.'

This recipe first appeared in You magazine.

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