​Ingredients
​½Coconut, grated in thin strands
1 cmFresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 smallRed chilli, sliced
6 stemsCoriander, chopped
1Lime, zest and juice
800 gWhite fish, use a firm fish eg kingfish or swordfish, in thick fillets
1Garlic clove, minced
1 TbspVegetable oil
1 sprinkleFlaky sea salt
4 servingsSpinach, wilted
+ add to shopping listDirections

1. Gently mix coconut with ginger, chilli, coriander and lime to make a fresh relish.
2. Cut fish into thick "fingers’' of 100g each. Mix the garlic and oil together and rub over fish with a sprinkling of sea salt.
3. Barbecue (or grill on a rack), turning once, until just cooked through.
4. Serve on wilted spinach and accompany with a chopped tomato salad. Pile some coconut relish on to the fish.

My bargain find at the market this month were pineapples. Super-ripe, sweet and perfumed. Frying the pineapple first in butter until it caramelises helps to develop even more pineapple flavour, then the ginger and coconut milk will form the delicious sauce. This crumble is ideal to bake in small individual ovenproof dishes or souffle-type moulds.
What to serve with it? I like a nice scoop of vanilla icecream slowly melting into the hot crumble topping, then there's the option of cold runny cream poured carefully round a hot, steamy crumble island; slightly sweetened whipped cream with a dash of vanilla or your favourite liqueur, a healthy dollop or two of natural thick Greek yoghurt or, if you really want to impress, try a jug of velvety smooth, homemade, real-egg custard. My recipe is at the bottom of the page.


1Pineapple
2 TbspButter
1 tspVanilla essence
2 piecesStar anise
4 piecesCrystallised ginger, finely chopped
¾ cupCoconut milkCoconut crumble100 gButter
160 gFlour
½ tspGround ginger
50 gSugar
80 gShredded coconut
1Lime, zested
+ add to shopping listDirections

1. Heat oven to 180C. Peel pineapple, cut into quarters, remove core then slice into small even pieces.
2. Melt butter in a large frying pan, add pineapple, vanilla and star anise. Cook on a high heat until pineapple begins to caramelise. Add ginger and coconut milk, allow to simmer gently for 10 minutes.
3. Dice butter then rub in flour and ginger using fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
4. Stir through sugar, coconut and lime zest.
5. Spoon pineapple into a baking dish, sprinkle over coconut crumble mix and bake for 20-30 minutes until crumble topping is golden and fragrant.

Real egg custardBring 2 cups milk and 4 Tbsp cream to the boil. Whisk together 4 egg yolks, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 Tbsp caster sugar and 2 tsp cornflour. Pour hot liquid on to yolk mix and whisk well, return to the pan and whisk over a medium heat until custard thickens.

​I love the Fijian-Indian style of curries as they are tomato based and not too creamy. Plantains are a large starchy green banana similar in texture to potato when cooked. You can also use under-ripe bananas, which will be slightly sweeter. If the idea of banana in the curry doesn’t appeal to you, simply use chopped cubes of potatoes in its place.


Ingredients2 TbspOil, peanut, canola or soy
1Onion, sliced
3 clovesGarlic, crushed
1 tspBlack mustard seeds
1 tspGround cumin
1 tspGround turmeric
½ tspGround chilli
2 TbspGaram masala
1 inchFresh ginger, finely grated
8Curry leaves
2Eggplant, long Fijian eggplants or 1/2 large eggplant
1Plantain, large, or 2 under-ripe green bananas, skin peeled with a small sharp knife, sliced, or 2 medium potatoes, cut into 2-3cm cubes
1 canCrushed tomatoes
¾ cupCoconut milk, mixed with 1/2 cup water
8Boneless chicken thighs, skinless, quartered
2Tomatoes, chopped
1 bunchCoriander, chopped, to serve
1Lime, cut into wedges to serve
+ add to shopping listDirections

1. Heat oil in a large heavy-based fry pan or saucepan on medium heat. Cook onion until golden, 4-5 minutes.
2. Add garlic, mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric, chilli, garam masala and ginger and continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes until fragrant and mustard seeds are starting to pop.
3. Add a splash of water during cooking if needed to prevent them sticking to bottom of pan and burning.
4. Add curry leaves, eggplant, plantain/banana or potatoes, canned tomatoes, coconut milk, water and a good pinch of salt. 
5. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until eggplant and plantain/potato is soft and cooked through.
6. Add chicken and tomatoes in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking and continue simmering until chicken is cooked through.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. To serve, garnish curry with coriander and serve with rice and cucumber as a shared meal. 
9. Squeeze over lime juice just before eating.