A two trout day

Thai fish curry

Originally uploaded by dynamist.

The first trout I cooked simply, in hot oil and with lots of freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper. This may be the very best way to eat it.

But I wanted to play around, so the second trout went into a Thai fish soup I made on the fly.

In the same pan that I’d just cooked the first trout in (I didn”t want all those tasty bits stuck to the bottom to go to waste), I heated some crushed ginger mixed with garam masala, curry powder, chilli powder, and a bit of fenugreek. Next I added some vegetable stock, made from Trader Joe’s liquid concentrate, and a few good glugs of naam pla (Thai fish sauce), along with lemongrass and some freshly squeezed lemon juice. The trout floated nicely in this and was cooked through in no time. I broke it into pieces, leaving the tail in and allowing the whole thing to cool before refrigerating it.

This made a spicy, warming soup the next evening when I reheated it. Indeed, I wish I’d saved it for tonight, when I can feel myself coming down with my first cold (or, perish the thought, flu) of winter. It would be just the thing to open up the airways and stave off evil spirits. Must make it again sometime.