This is a delicious recipe for pan fried hake with spicy Thai lentils. Lots of fresh, bright flavours from coriander and lime. The spicy Thai curry flavours come from the panang curry paste that pairs really well with the firm white Hake fillets

Panang Curry

Panang  is a traditional Thai curry paste similar to the slightly better known red and green curry pastes. Panang has an additional ingredient which isn’t used in the other pastes which is ground peanut. Panang is usually seasoned to be less spicy but somewhat sweeter than the other two. Panang is the mildest curry overall making it  good partner for fish.

Preparation time will be about 16-20 minutes with a further 10-12 minutes cooking time. Quantities Serves: 4

Ingredients For Hake With Spicy Thai Lentils

4 Hake fillets from Walter Purkis & Sons
4 tsp panang curry paste
8 spring onions, finely chopped
4 plum tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
200g cooked potatoes, diced
400g cooked lentils
100ml chicken or fish stock
60g fresh coriander, chopped
100g fresh spinach, shredded
Zest and juice 1 lime
Fish sauce, to taste
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
20g butter
Sea salt and black pepper

Cooking Method For  method Hake With Spicy Thai Lentils

Pre-heat your oven to its maximum temperature.

In a large saucepan, over a medium heat, fry the curry paste for 2 minutes. Add the spring onions, tomatoes, potatoes and lentils. Season with salt and pepper and cook for a further minute. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Then add the coriander, spinach, lime zest and juice, and season with fish sauce. Set aside.

Next season the hake fillets on both sides with plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper.

Place a large non-stick, oven-proof frying pan over a high heat. Add 1 tbsp of the oil and the butter. When the butter turns brown, add the fish, skin side down. Shake the pan to prevent the fish from sticking and cook until the skin is golden then carefully turn over. Place the pan into the oven for 4-6 minutes (if your frying pan isn’t oven-proof, transfer the fish, skin side down onto a baking tray).

While the fish is in the oven, reheat the lentils, adding the remaining oil. Spoon the lentils into warm bowls or onto plates and top with the hake. Serve right away.

This hake recipe comes from the Fish is the Dish website where you can find this and lots of other fishy recipes.

You can find more of our hake recipes here >>