I investigated my local oriental shop and was amazed at how cheap it was compared to supermarkets. For example, 99p for 4 lemongrass stalks, £2.50 for 250g of cashew nuts. It costs £4.50 for 300g in Sainsbury’s! It was called a wholesaler but you could buy in small quantities.
I made the fish stock in advance as I don’t like processed stock and usually contains yeast.
Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a starter
Base:
1 stalk of lemongrass bashed with a rolling pin
1 birds eye chilli, stalk removed
2cm root ginger peeled
1 clove garlic peeled
1/2 lime (juice from)
3 lime leaves
Coriander stalks from 1 handful of fresh coriander
Herby tops from the fennel bulb
Other ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 spring onions
1 fennel bulb
2 pak choi
250g any white fish
1 litre fish stock
1/2 can coconut milk
1/2 lime
Salt and pepper
To serve
1 large handful of beansprouts chopped into thirds
1 large handful fresh coriander leaves chopped
100g chopped cashew nuts
- Begin by heating the oil in a large saucepan
- Then put all of the base ingredients into a chopper or blender and blitz until fine
- Finely slice the spring onion. When the oil is hot, turn down to medium and saute the onion for 5 minutes
- Slice the fennel in half lengthways and remove the core from each half. Finely slice and shred the fennel into bite sized strips.
- Add to the onion and cook for another 2 minutes
- Add the base and saute for 30 seconds longer
- Then add the fish stock, coconut milk and juice from the other half of the lime.
- Bring to the boil and season to taste
- Whilst it is boiling chop the fish into bite sized chunks and thinly slice the pak choi from top to tail and once boiled, turn the soup down to a simmer.
- Add the fish and pak choi for 4 minutes until the fish is cooked all the way through but still maintaining its shape.
- Take off the heat and add chopped coriander, cashew nuts and beanspouts to serve.
Raspberry Sundays 
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