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Sweet, Hot, & Sour Coconut Fish Curry | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae

by Frankie Scanlon

Yield: Serves 4.
Time Estimate: 1 Hour 30 minutes, including 45 minutes unattended.
Storage Notes: Best if enjoyed immediately, can be kept refrigerated & reheated later for up to 2 days.
Difficulty: Easy.

Vibrant Southeast Asian flavors are on full display in this rich curry, loaded with complementary sweet, hot, and sour flavors, and textures ranging from jammy tomatoes and flaky poached fish to firm rice and a creamy broth. This weeknight staple only gets better with a day in the fridge, so make a bit extra and thank yourself when enjoying any leftovers for lunch the next day.

Ingredients

  • 4 Good-size cod or sablefish fillets
  • 3 Limes
  • 1 Lemon
  • 2 Stalks (around 6" total) lemongrass
  • 1 Finger (around 1 1/2" x 3") ginger
  • 1-2 Tins Sweet, Hot, & Sour Seasoning
  • 6 Tbs Mojito Marinade Seasoning
  • 2 Tbs coconut oil
  • 2 Tbs sesame oil
  • 6 Tbs cooking oil
  • 1 Tbs fish sauce
  • 1 Red onion
  • 4 Cloves garlic
  • 1 Can (13.6oz) coconut milk
  • 1 Can (13.6oz) coconut cream
  • 2 Cups low/reduced sodium chicken stock
  • 20 Cherry tomatoes
  • 8 Cups fresh baby spinach
  • 8 Thai chilis
  • 1/3 Cup fresh basil
  • 2-3 Cups rice to serve alongside
Directions 
  • Wash and prepare rice, reserving and keeping warm until needed.
  • Preheat oven to 425F.
  • Rinse and pat dry sablefish, removing and discarding skin and any bones.
  • Cut fillets in half lengthwise, then into thirds, and toss in a mixing bowl with coconut oil and Mojito Marinade Seasoning, coating the fish. Cover and reserve.
  • Rinse and dry spinach, and reserve. Rinse and reserve cherry tomatoes.
  • Peel and mince garlic, onions, ginger, and lemongrass. Zest 2 lemons and 1 lime, reserve, then slice in half in preparation of juicing.
  • Bring a pot up to medium high heat, adding both cooking oil and sesame oil.
  • Add onion, ginger, lemongrass, whole Thai chilis, and 3 Tbs Sweet, Hot, & Sour Seasoning, stirring and sweating for 3 minutes.
  • Add garlic, and juice in limes and lemon, reserving 1 lime for garnish.
  • Pour in coconut milk, coconut cream, chicken stock, fish sauce, and remainder of Sweet, Hot, & Sour Seasoning.
  • Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
  • Working in batches, stir in spinach and taste curry, adjusting with more Sweet, Hot, & Sour Seasoning as desired.
  • In a medium sized (11" x 9" or so) ceramic baker, like this handsome one from Emile Henry, arrange marinated sablefish sections in the center of the dish so that they overlap each other, creating elevated ridges.
  • Pour curry into baker, stopping when just the tips of the ridges are exposed. Save any leftover curry for a lovely light lunch the next day.
  • Drop in whole cherry tomatoes, and pop in the oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
  • Julienne basil, and slice remaining lime into thin rounds.
  • When exposed fish is well browned and cherry tomatoes are broiled and jammy, carefully remove baker from the oven.
  • Plate rice into half of the bowls, then use a slotted spoon to evenly divide fish among bowls, leaning up against the rice.
  • Ladle curry into bowl, dotting with jammy tomatoes.
  • Garnish with julienned basil, lemon and lime zest, and lime slices.
  • Serve with your preference of chopsticks or fork, and a big Asian-style soup spoon to scoop up all that  goodness. 
  • The coconut curry is surprisingly rich - serve this in smaller bowls with smaller portions than you might otherwise think. 
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