Coconut Lemongrass Fish Curry Recipe

When you see the word curry it's easy to think of chicken tikka or butter chicken, but the world of curry is really much more diverse. In fact, curry extends farther, even, than Indian cuisine, also being a huge part of Thai, Indonesian, and Malaysian food. Even though curry is a direct influence from Indian cuisine, in countries like Thailand it takes a different form, emphasizing the array of sweet, sour, salty, and umami flavors the country offers. Thai curries often include shrimp paste and fish sauce, two salty, tangy flavors that aptly complement the local protein sources. Being on a peninsula, fish is readily available and makes deliciously flaky, warming curry.

This coconut lemongrass fish curry recipe written with developer Michelle McGlinn is influenced by Thai curries, emphasizing the fresh flavor of lemongrass and creamy coconut. The fish used is flaky, dense whitefish, which softens in the green curry base and absorbs the fresh cilantro flavor. It's lighter than traditional curries, making it just as perfect for hot summer days as it is for cold wintery nights. 

First you'll be making a curry paste, which will carry a large part of the flavor in the curry. For this you will need lemongrass, cilantro, garlic, ginger, oil, yogurt, and salt. You'll be using this paste on the fish, which can be any flaky whitefish. We like cod, an easy and affordable fish, but other options can include tilapia, halibut, and bass. For the curry itself, grab onion, Thai chiles, coconut milk, water, Makrut lime leaves, palm sugar, cumin, coriander, fish sauce, and lime. For serving, grab a little extra lime and cilantro.

Fill a blender with lemongrass, cilantro, 3 cloves garlic, 1 inch peeled ginger, 2 tablespoons oil, yogurt, and salt.

Blend until smooth, about 50 seconds.

Rub half of the paste over the fish and set aside. Reserve the remaining paste.

In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat.

Mince remaining garlic and ginger and add to the oil.

Once fragrant, about 1 minute, add the onion and chiles. Cook until soft, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the reserved paste and stir to combine.

Add the coconut milk, water, lime leaves, palm sugar, cumin, coriander, fish sauce, and lime juice. Stir until smooth.

Bring to a simmer. Add the fish and cover.

Cook until fish is flaky and curry is thick, about 10 minutes.

Serve with lime wedges and cilantro.

Making this curry from scratch requires some sleuthing for the fresh ingredients. Makrut lime leaves add a tangy but delicate flavor, like a slightly more floral squeeze of lime. You can sometimes find these sold fresh in Asian grocery stores, especially those that specialize in Thai cuisine. Often the lime leaves are sold dried for easy transporting and storing. Dried lime leaves can be found online, since they are easy to ship without damaging. If you can't find lime leaves, you can easily leave them out of the recipe, adding extra lime juice to compensate.

The lemongrass is harder to go without, but is easy to find in most commercial grocery stores. Often lemongrass is sold trimmed, with just a few pieces that are ready to use without needing to be peeled or chopped. If this option isn't available, search for the long, fresh stalks of lemongrass. These will be tougher and discolored on the ends, which need to be trimmed and peeled away before using. When using lemongrass, make sure to use only the soft green inner stalk.

Like most curries, the saucy dish goes best with rice, which soaks up the flavorful sauce and provides a starchy base. You can also serve this dish with naan or pita bread if you prefer. For side dishes, try crispy spring rolls, chicken satay, or fried tofu. Because the curry is soft, flaky, and creamy, crispy and crunchy side dishes are best. Tip: Dip your spring rolls into the curry for serious flavor.

Fish curry saves well and is arguably even better after a day or two in the refrigerator, when the flavors of the curry sauce have a chance to meld. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, reheating in the microwave until warmed through. We recommend storing the curry separately from the rice you serve it with so that the rice avoids getting soggy in the curry's sauce.