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Tender Fish Swimming in a Creamy Coconut Curry with Vegetables and Fresh Coriander
A Creamy Tender Fish Swimming in a Creamy Coconut Curry with tender fish, vegetables, chili, and fresh coriander. An easy one-pan dinner served with basmati rice and butternut.
Why You Will Love and Enjoy This Tender Fish Swimming in a Creamy Coconut Curry
- Creamy and flavourful: Coconut milk makes a rich sauce without needing complicated ingredients.
- Easy one-pan cooking: The fish poaches right in the sauce, keeping preparation simple.
- Plenty of fresh flavour: Coriander, curry leaves, chili and whole coriander seeds give every bite a lovely lift.
- A complete dinner: Serve it with basmati rice and butternut for an easy family meal.
Additional Information
- Can this be frozen? Yes, but I wouldn’t recommend freezing it if you can avoid it. Coconut milk sauces can sometimes separate after thawing, and cooked fish can become softer. If you do freeze it, cool the curry completely, place it in an airtight freezer container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently.
- How long can it be stored? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot, taking care not to overcook the fish.
- Will the fish fall apart? It can if you stir the curry too much. Add the fish gently and leave it alone while it poaches. A firm white fish also holds together better.
- Will this curry be very spicy? Not necessarily. The heat comes mainly from the green chili and crushed chili. Start with the amounts listed and adjust next time if you want more heat.
- Why aren’t curry powder or Thai curry paste used? This recipe gets its flavour from coriander seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, chili, coconut milk and fresh coriander. Adding curry powder or Thai curry paste would change the character of the dish.
- How thick should the sauce be? It should be creamy enough to coat the fish and vegetables but still loose enough to spoon over rice. If it’s too thin, simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes.
- Could I add more vegetables? Absolutely. Green beans, zucchini or sliced red pepper would work well, but don’t overload the pan or the coconut sauce can become diluted.
- Should the fish be fried first? No. The fish is gently poached directly in the coconut sauce. This keeps the recipe simple and lets the fish pick up the flavour of the curry.
Ingredient substitutions
- Angel fish: Firm white fish such as cod, haddock, halibut or tilapia can be used instead.
- Coconut milk: Full-fat coconut milk yields the creamiest sauce, but light coconut milk works for a lighter curry.
- Green chili: Use less for a milder curry or substitute with a pinch of crushed chili.
- Fresh coriander: If you don’t enjoy coriander, use fresh parsley instead, though the flavour will be different.
- Butter: Replace with another 1 tbsp olive oil if you prefer not to use butter.
- Curry leaves: They add lovely flavour, but if you can’t find them, simply leave them out rather than replacing them with curry powder.
Tender Fish Swimming in a Creamy Coconut Curry
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Seafood Recipes
- Method: Easy Cooking
- Cuisine: Thai
Description
Tender Angel Fish Swimming in a Creamy Coconut Curry brings tender chunks of fish together with creamy coconut milk, vegetables, and warming spices. It’s an easy one-pan curry with just enough chili heat, and it’s especially good spooned over steamed basmati rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Fish
- 2 angel fish fillets, washed, patted dry, and cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 tsp Robertson garlic flakes
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp crushed chili
- 1 tsp crushed black pepper
- Salt to taste
Coconut Curry
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds
- 6 curry leaves
- 2 large carrots, peeled and finely cubed
- 1 large green pepper, finely chopped
- 1 green chili, finely chopped
- 1 can coconut milk
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more if needed
- Salt to taste
Serve
- Steamed basmati rice
- Cooked butternut
Instructions
- Place the 2 cubed angel fish fillets in a bowl.
- Add 1 tsp Robertson garlic flakes, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp crushed chili, 1 tsp crushed black pepper, and a little salt.
- Toss gently so the spices coat the fish well. Set aside for about 10 minutes while you get the curry started.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp butter in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the 1 large chopped onion, 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds, 6 curry leaves and 2 finely cubed carrots.
- Sauté for about 7 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and the carrots have started to soften.
- Stir in the 1 large chopped green pepper and 1 chopped green chili.
- Cook for another 2 minutes. If the pan looks dry, add a small splash of olive oil.
- Pour in the 1 can of coconut milk and stir everything together.
- Let it gently simmer for about 5 minutes so the vegetables can finish cooking and the flavours come together.
- Carefully add the marinated angel fish to the coconut sauce, spreading the pieces out as much as possible.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover loosely and gently poach the fish for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until it’s opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Don’t overcook it or the fish can become dry.
- Let the sauce simmer uncovered for another 2 to 3 minutes if it needs to thicken.
- Taste and add salt as needed. The sauce should be creamy but still spoonable.
- Turn off the heat and stir through 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander.
- Spoon the fish over steamed basmati rice and serve with butternut on the side
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Nazley
Recipe Card powered by
Creamy coconut sauce, tender fish and gentle chili heat make this dinner shine.
Tender Fish Swimming in a Creamy Coconut Curry combines tender angel fish, creamy coconut milk, vegetables and fragrant spices in one satisfying dish. The gentle chili heat, fresh coriander and curry leaves give the sauce plenty of character, while basmati rice and butternut turn it into a complete meal that’s easy to crave and even easier to make.
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