Monkfish might look ugly, but their flavour is beautiful – especially paired with the fresh Thai fusion flavours of lemongrass, lime, chilli and coconut.

Serves: 2 | Prep. time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 green chilli
• 1 stick lemongrass
• 3 slices galangal
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 100ml water
• 200ml coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 20g palm sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 250g monkfish fillet
• 2 slices eggplant
• 50g green beans
• Asian pickled cabbage, to garnish
• Thai basil, to garnish
• Lemongrass, sliced to garnish
• Red chilli, chopped to garnish
• Chilli oil

making it happen

1. Crush garlic, green chilli, lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves into a pot with water and coconut milk. 2. Add fish sauce, palm sugar and salt. 3. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature and simmer 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. 4. Strain the herbs out and discard them. 5. Grill fish, eggplant, and green beans – you can do this on a BBQ or a cast iron pan. 6. Plate up the eggplant, green beans and fish, then pour the sauce over top. 7. Garnish with Asian pickled cabbage, Thai basil, lemongrass and red chilli, and drizzle with chilli oil to taste.

Chef Tawan Karnjanakajohnsak

“My cuisine is all from my passion, experience and imagination. I use fresh ingredients to create flavours which you have never been exposed to before. In the musical world, people come to listen and expect a nice performance. It’s the same in the restaurant. People come to enjoy food and expect a good flavour as well as nice presentation. Twelve years ago I was a percussionist. I never thought about being a chef until I had a chance to participate in the Percussion Duo competition in Luxembourg. I was fascinated with Western cuisine, culture and foods. I thought that music is the only way you can describe art, but I was wrong. There are many kinds of art, and food is one of those. After I came back to Thailand, I studied a Western-Thai culinary course at Dusit Thani College, and then completed a Diploma of Professional Cookery in New Zealand. I worked in many good-reputation Asian Fusion restaurants in Christchurch, and now I have had the opportunity to establish my own restaurant, The Dish.”

Three key ingredients to a tasty dish? Fresh ingredients, house-made, and cooking technique.

What do you like to do outside of the kitchen? Growing some organic vegetables and herbs, and creating new menus for special occasions.

Who are your culinary heroes? Chef Ian Kittichai, Iron Chef Thailand. When I saw him on TV, I felt motivated to try new things and improve my work more and more. I admire him and hope I can exceed him one day.

Check out our full chat with Chef Tawan here.

thedish.co.nz