Thai-Style Fish Pie with Coconut Mash

As I’ve mentioned here before, my [maternal] grandfather has been in hospital since the end of July. Last week, my [paternal] grandmother had bronchitis, took a fall, broke her nose, and also went to hospital. To complete the trifecta, my [maternal] grandmother (the lovely lady for whom I created my Date Coconut Cashew Energy Treats) is today going into hospital for hip replacement surgery.

As you can imagine, we’re all a bit worn out over here in Wayfaring Chocolateland, and life isn’t likely to get less hectic anytime in the near future.

Big thank you to my mum who, tonight while I was singing away my icky emotions, spent an hour rummaging through computer files to find me this photo.
Oh, and a second thank you to my mum for dressing me in the above clothing. Words cannot express how much I want that jumper back in my life, and how much I want to know what on earth its decorations are.

However, being hectic is a small price to pay for having my grandparents here, still, with me. I’d like to take this moment to send my Grandma S. a thousand hugs, a hundred bucketfuls of love, and countless dozens of firework-esque sparkling wishes for a speedy and smooth recovery.

I’m also grateful that Grandma S. was able to attend the Fathers Day dinner I cooked for my pa last Sunday. We started with a dish that could have gone horrifically wrong, seeing as I was making it up as I went along, but luckily for everyone at the table it was dazzling (if I do say so myself). There’s no picture of that Thai-Style Fish Pie with Coconut Mash, because I’m a nincompoop. For dessert, I made this Magical Flourless Three Ingredient Almond Cake (baked for 25 minutes). Dusted with icing sugar, it was also dazzling.

And Grandma, whenever you read this, rest assured I’m looking forward to cooking for you again soon. Soon.

Thai-Style Fish Pie with Coconut Potato Mash

Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free
Serves 4

• 1 tb olive oil or peanut oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 stick lemon grass, pale section only, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp sambal oelek
• 500-600g white fish fillets, like ling, chopped coarsely
• zest and juice (1/4 cup) of one lime
• 1 tb tamari
• 1 tb sweet chilli sauce
• large handful fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• slightly smaller handful mint leaves, chopped
• 500-600g potatoes, peeled
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup coconut milk, room temperature or slightly warmed

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease an ovenproof circular dish (ours was perhaps 18cm in diameter, and 3-4cm deep).
2. In a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat, heat oil and then tip in the onion, lemongrass, garlic, and sambal oelek, stirring for five minutes or so until onion is softened.
3. Stir in the fish and let it cook through, breaking up the fish with your stirring implement as it cooks.
4. Stir in the lime zest and juice, tamari, and sweet chilli sauce and let simmer for a minute or so, until the liquid is a little bit reduced but not all gone. Take off the heat and stir in the herbs, before spreading this mixture into the bottom of your ovenproof dish.
5. Meanwhile, chop your peeled potatoes and put them in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and, with the saucepan half-covered, let the potatoes cook for about 18 minutes. Drain and either mash by hand or put through a ricer (a ricer is the only way I mash potatoes; it makes for perfectly smooth mash every time. Though, technically, what I use is a spätzle-maker), then add enough coconut milk to get a nice mash consistency.
6. Spread the mash evenly over the fish, run a fork over the top to rough it up a little, then bake for 20-30 minutes, until the mash is starting to turn golden.
7. Ta-daa!

Tagged as: dairy-free, fish, gluten-free, healthy, pie