Thai-style snapper, pilaf and another pavlova

It was fishy affair last Sunday with oysters and prawns followed by Thai-style whole snapper, which Bruce cooked in foil on the barbeque.

I made a pilaf with currants and cashews - another Bill Granger recipe - to go with the whole fish and Bruce cooked up some bok choy.

For sweets I made another pavlova, this time topped with banana and passionfruit. It was a bit of a feast shared with Bruce's family.

Here are the recipes:

Bill Granger's pilaf with currants and cashews (Feed Me Now!)

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon mild-flavoured oil, such as sunflower, 1 teaspoon butter, 1 onion, finely sliced, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 500g basmati rice, 2 pinches of saffron threads, 30 g currants (I added a few more), 2 tablespoons chopped toasted cashew nuts.

Method: Place a large pan (with a tight-fitting lid) over a medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter, then the onion and salt, and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the onion is light coloured. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Pour in 1 liters boiling water, add the saffron and currants, and bring to boil, stirring. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the pilaf to stand, covered, for 10 minutes; do not lift the lid. Serve scattered with chopped cashew nuts.

Hot and sour fish steamed in banana leaves (adapted from Women's Weekly beginner Thai cookbook 2003)

You can cook this in banana leaves or as Bruce did on Sunday in a large foil dish covered with foil.

Ingredients: 4 medium whole bream or snapper, 1 large banana leaf, 4 fresh small Thai chilli leaves,seeded, sliced thinly, 2 fresh kaffir lime leaves, shredded finely, 2 green onions, sliced thinly, 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves, 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh Thai basil leaves, 2 sticks of fresh lemon grass, cotton string.

Lime and sweet chilli dressing: 1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons peanut oil, 1 clove garlic, crushed, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Method: Make lime and sweet chilli dressing. Score fish, both sides through thickest part of flesh; place on large tray, drizzle with half of the lime and sweet chilli dressing. Cover, refrigerate 1 hour. Combine chilli, lime leaves, onion, coriander and basil in a medium bowl. Halve lemon grass sticks lengthways, then halve crossways. Top fish with equal amounts of the herb mixture and place two sticks of lemon grass on top of each fish.  Cook on barbeque with closed lid on low to medium heat for 20 minutes.

Delicious and all gluten-free!