Best Light Coconut Fish Stew and Curry Recipes - Thai and Indian Themes
Fish is delicate, with subtle tastes and textures. It is very easy to swamp its natural tastes by overpowering it with spices and other ingredients. It is very easy to overcook fish and destroy its texture and structure. The best way to cook fish is by grilling and barbecuing very fresh fish. The second best way, is to cook a light fish curry in coconut milk. This complements the delicate flavor of the fish and preserves its texture. This article includes the best Indian and Thai light coconut fish curies. Enjoy!
Light Indian Fish Curry with Coconut Milk, Tomatoes, Herbs and Spices
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mustard oil
- 1 teaspoons raw sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 onion, chopped very finely
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 good quality coconut milk
- red chillies, sliced for serving
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 1/2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
- 2 tomatoes, peeled, and then chopped
- 1/3 cup curry leaves, plus extra for serving
- 20 g tamarind pulp, soaked in 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut (or reconstituted desiccated coconut)
- 1 kg (2 lb) thick fish fillets or cutlets, with firm white flesh (skin and bones removed)
Method
Heat the mustard oil in a small saucepan to moderate-high temperature. Add the mustard seeds and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until they just start to pop. Add the curry leaves and fry for about 30 seconds. Then, add the onions and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until they become transparent and soften. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes then add cumin, chilli powder, cinnamon, cloves and 1 teaspoon of salt and stir-fry for a minute or so until fragrant. Add the turmeric, tomato and sugar and then cook for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes have softened.
Lower the heat under the pan to medium-low. Add the coriander and 1 cup of coconut milk. Strain the tamarind and add the liquid to pan. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Next slice the fish into large, thick pieces. Add to the pan with the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut milk. Add enough water to just cover the fish. Simmer very gently for 10 minutes, until the fish is just cooked cooked through (do not over-cook). Serve hot, topped the with slices of red chillies, coriander leaves and fried curry leaves. Serve with steamed rice.
Thai Red Curry Recipe with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 teaspoons peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Thai basil leaves to serve,
- 1 stalk lemon grass, crushed
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, crushed
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- Fresh red chilli slices to serve
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar
- 100 g (4 oz) snow peas, chopped in half
- 1/2 tablespoon of good quality red curry paste
- 400 g (1/2 pound) firm white fish fillets, cut into large chunky pieces
Method
Heat the oil in medium size wok over medium heat. Add the onion and stir-fry until soft and golden in color. Add the curry paste and cook for about a minute, until the fragrance of the curry paste is vitalised. Add the lemon grass, lime leaves and coconut milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Next, add the fish and simmer in the sauce for about 5 minutes, until the fish is just cooked. Add the sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and snow peas. Cook for an additional 3 minutes. Serve the curry in small bowls topped with Thai basil leaves and slices of red chilli.
Thai Green Fish Curry with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 4 cloves
- 10 curry leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 2-4 whole green chillies
- 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz water)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 large piece cinnamon stick
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 6 green cardamom pods, crushed
- 300 ml (10 fl oz) coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice to serve
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
- 5 cm (2 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 500 g (1 lb) firm white fish fillets cut into large pieces, or fish cutlets
Method
Heat the oil in a hot frying pan, add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds and cloves and stir fry for 20 seconds to release the fragrance and flavor of the spices. Add about half of the chopped onion to the pan and stir fry for about 4 minutes, until the onions have just started to soften. Put the rest of the ginger, garlic, ground coriander, onion, with 100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) of the coconut milk into the bowl of a blender or food processor. Pulse the mixture to create a smooth purée. Transfer this mixture to the frying pan. Add the whole green chillies and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan with a lid and gently simmer for about 10 minutes 15 minutes to develop and combine the flavors. Then, add the fish, the rest of the coconut milk, the currry leaves, black pepper, water and garam masala. Cover the pan and cook for no more than 5 minutes, until the fish is just cooked inside. Serve with fresh coriander leaves, lemon juices and a sprinkling of red chilli slices and ground pepper.
Spicy Kerala Fish Curry with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- Coconut oil
- Curry leaves
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
- 10 shallots, finely, sliced
- 1 small onion, finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon of chilli powder
- 2 cups of medium thick coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon of garlic, finely chopped
- 2-3 green or red chilli, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon of coriander, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon of Fenugreek powder (uluva podi)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 500 g (1 lb) firm flesh fish, cut into large pieces or cutlets
Method
Heat oil in a deep frying pan or Dutch oven. Add the ginger and garlic an fry for 2 minutes. Then, add the onion and green chilli. Sprinkle over the spices and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes.Add the medium thick coconut milk and bring the mixture to the boil. Then reduce the heat so that the mixture is gently simmering. Add the fish pieces and cook very gently over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the fish is just about cooked. Add the coconut cream and stir gently to combine. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside for 15 minutes to blend all the flavors. Serve with coriander or basil leaves, slices of red chilli and other fresh herbs.
Indian Fish Curry Recipes with Coconut Milk and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- Salt
- 2/3 cup water
- Pinch of sugar
- 8 curry leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons ground fennel
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons rice bran oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Cilantro leaves, for serving
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 15 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 medium serrano chiles, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup canned tomatoes, drained and sliced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water
- 2 pounds skinless firm-fleshed fish fillets or cutlets, cut into large pieces
Method
Add the onion, garlic, serrano chilli, shredded coconut and ginger to a food processor or blender bowl and pour in 1/3 cup coconut milk. Pulse to form a paste. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or Dutch oven. Add the curry leaves and yellow mustard seeds and cook for 1 minute. Add the blended coconut paste and cook the mixture, while stirring for about 4 minutes. Add the fenugreek, cayenne, turmeric, cardamom, coriander and ground fennel and fry for 2 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of coconut milk, the water, tamarind paste, tomatoes and sugar. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes and then add the cherry tomatoes and cook for about 1 minute. Add the fish pieces and cook for about 3 minutes, until the fish is just cooked in the center. Serve the fish curry with cilantro leaves, fresh ginger slices and very thinly slices red chilli.
