Description
Delightful Thai coconut salmon curry blends rich coastal flavors with creamy coconut milk and aromatic spices. Home cooks can quickly prepare this elegant seafood dish with simple ingredients for a restaurant-quality meal you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 salmon fillets, skin removed
- 1 ¾ cups (420 ml) unsweetened coconut milk (full fat)
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable broth
- 3 tbsps Thai red curry paste
- 2 tbsps tomato paste
- 2 tbsps coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 baby bok choy, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Basil leaves, for garnish
- Steamed jasmine rice or flatbread, for serving
Instructions
- Salmon Preparation: Pat salmon fillets dry and season comprehensively with salt, black pepper, and paprika, ensuring even coverage.
- Searing Technique: Heat coconut oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high flame. Sear salmon until golden brown on both sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per side, then transfer to a separate plate.
- Aromatic Base Creation: Reduce skillet heat and sauté onions, garlic, and ginger until fragrant, releasing their intricate flavor profiles.
- Vegetable Integration: Add bell peppers and continue cooking, allowing vegetables to soften and develop deep, rich undertones.
- Spice Activation: Introduce tomato and curry pastes, incorporating ground coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes to intensify the curry’s complex flavor landscape.
- Liquid Foundation: Pour broth into the skillet, bringing to a gentle boil. Incorporate bok choy, fish sauce, and peanut butter, creating a harmonious sauce base.
- Creamy Transformation: Stream coconut milk into the mixture, reducing heat to achieve a luxurious, velvety consistency.
- Final Poaching: Reintroduce salmon fillets to the simmering sauce, drizzling with lemon juice. Gently poach until fish is perfectly cooked and sauce reaches ideal thickness.
- Finishing Touch: Remove from heat, garnish with fresh basil leaves. Plate over jasmine rice or crusty bread, sprinkling additional red pepper flakes for those craving extra warmth.
Notes
- Pat Salmon Dry: Ensure salmon is completely dry before seasoning to achieve a perfect golden sear and prevent steaming instead of browning.
- Spice Toasting Technique: Briefly toast spices to release their aromatic oils, intensifying the curry’s depth and complexity of flavor.
- Protein Poaching Tip: Gently poach salmon in the coconut curry sauce to maintain moisture and prevent overcooking, keeping the fish tender and flaky.
- Flavor Balancing Hack: Use fish sauce and peanut butter to create a rich, umami-packed base that elevates the entire curry’s taste profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg