Curries are one of those things that I love but they can be a little heavy with the addition of full-fat coconut milk. I saw a version in Donna Hay magazine this month that utilized coconut water instead of coconut milk and couldn’t wait to try it. Light, aromatic and full of flavor I never missed the fat. The combination of ginger, lemongrass, garlic and cilantro was a wonderful base for the fish and the greens. I had some beautiful winter braising greens that I added to the curry but you can use whatever green you prefer, bok choy, mustard greens, spinach or chard would all work well. You could serve it with some rice or quinoa so you can soak up all of the delicious broth, I just slurped mine up with a spoon.
Day 24: green coconut water curry
Serves: 4
Coconut water infused with garlic, ginger, lemongrass and cilantro is a wonderful base for the cod, shitakes and greens in this modern take on a traditional fish curry.
Ingredients
- 1 jalepeno, stems and seeds removed
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon lime zest, plus 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 cups young coconut water
- ½ pound firm white fish, such as cod or halibut divided into 4 fillets
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ pound shitake mushrooms
- 3-4 baby bok choy, trimmed and cut into quarters
- 4 cups of mixed greens, such as kale, spinach or chard
- 1-2 tablespoons lime juice and chopped cilantro for serving
Instructions
- In a food processor or high speed blender, combine the chile, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, cilantro, lime zest and juice, sugar and fish sauce. Process until a smooth paste forms, adding a tablespoon or two of the coconut water if needed to process into a paste.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and the shitakes and cook for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and start to take on a little color. Remove the shitakes from the pan and set aside while preparing the rest of the dish.
- Add the paste to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant. Add the coconut water and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the fish, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add the bok choy, greens, and mushrooms, replace the lid and cook for another 3 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through. Squeeze some additional lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro before serving.
Delicious! Made this last night for dinner. We used coconut milk rather than coconut water. I know you were trying to cut back on the fat, but we decided to go whole hog…or whole coconut…lol! Also added thai peppers, and I substituted shrimp for the fish. Really yummy! We are enjoying trying lots of your recipes.
Hi Susan,
I am so glad you liked it. I liked the fact that the broth was so light with the coconut water but I love anything with coconut milk. I’m glad you liked it, I love my dishes spicy too and I usually add some type of pepper to most of our dishes as well! Thanks for reading and trying out more recipes!