20-minute coconut fish curry

This coconut fish curry is quick, light, creamy, nutritious, and altogether delicious. The best part? It’s on the table in just 20 minutes!

Quick and easy curries are some of my favourite meals to cook when I don’t really know what to cook. This perfect Thai chicken and butternut squash curry, for instance, appears regularly on our table and in our freezer (trust me, it really is perfect).

Why?

• They’re usually made in just one pan.
• I usually have most of the ingredients already.
• They’re nutritious (just throw those veggies in there!).
• The recipe usually makes enough for more than one meal.

Need I go on?

This yummy and creamy coconut fish curry definitely falls into this category. You could say it’s the non-vegan little sister of this 20-minute coconut chickpea curry (which I make when Mr. Scrummy isn’t around – he’s too much of a carnivore to enjoy it with me).

Why this is the best fish curry recipe!

• You literally only need about 20 minutes from getting your ingredients together to having this easy fish curry with coconut milk finished and on the table.
• It’s essentially a one pot fish curry. You do need to blanch the green beans but you can use frozen to skip this step.
• In the photos you see here I used a madras curry paste, but you can use any curry paste you happen to have or like to make this curry. Try rogan josh curry paste to make a fish Rogan Josh, for instance, and add a few tomatoes. Or a really mild korma paste which works especially well with the coconut milk in this recipe.
• It’s easy to mix and match different vegetables in this curry. Don’t have green beans or red peppers? Use green peppers, asparagus, baby corn, courgette/zucchini, or mushrooms.
• It’s light and healthy because… fish and vegetables!
• Add a segment of lemon or lime and sprinkle it with some flaked almonds and coriander at the end – and it’s pretty good looking!

Coconut fish curry ingredients

• chopped onion
• curry paste
• coconut milk and stock/broth
• easy cook vegetables
• white fish of your choice
• coriander/cilantro, lemon or lime wedges and slivered almonds to garnish

How to make a fish curry with coconut milk

Step 1: Fry a chopped onion until soft in a large saucepan.

Step 2: Stir in your curry paste.

Step 3: Add your coconut milk, stock/broth, blanched green beans and a pepper of any colour (I used red for a bit of extra ‘pop’).

Step 4: Place some white fish (chopped into large-ish pieces) on the top of the dish and put the lid of the saucepan on for around eight to ten minutes until the fish is just cooked.

Pro tip: Instead of blanching fresh green beans for your fish curry, use frozen green beans. Just throw them in the curry along with the coconut milk.

Is a coconut fish curry spicy?

I used just over 2 tablespoons of Madras curry paste (for a curry for two) and ended up with a fairly spicy dish. But not blow-your-head-off spicy.

As you can use any curry paste you like in this curry, you can make it however mild or spicy you like.

As a general rule, however, I’d say use one and a half tablespoons of curry paste for a milder flavour and 2 tablespoons if you prefer your curries a little spicier.

The level of spiciness will depend on the brand of curry paste you use too, of course.

Pro tip: If your curry is too spicy, serve some (lots of?) Greek yogurt on the side. (The oldest trick in the book, but good to be reminded!)

What type of fish is good for curry?

Of course this will depend according to where in the world you live!

When we lived in the UK I made this coconut fish curry with white fish like cod or haddock. Now that we live in Australia I buy different kinds of snapper, barramundi (although this can be expensive), or sometimes cod.

The key is to choose a fairly firm fish that won’t disintegrate into your curry sauce. I would also choose a milder flavoured fish that won’t overpower the curry flavour.

Monkfish, albacore, or even mackerel or swordfish would work. Frozen fillets are a good choice. Simply defrost then use in the recipe as you would with fresh fish.

More easy Asian meals

• 15 minute Thai basil pork stir fry (delicious!)
• One pan spicy Thai peanut chicken (great for easy entertaining!)
• Sticky and delicious 15 minute Shanghai chicken
• Perfect Mee Goreng (spicy Indonesian noodles)
• Or take a look at all my Asian recipes!

If you generally like curries and you like fish, I don’t think this 20-minute coconut fish curry will disappoint. Oh, don’t forget to sprinkle over those slivered toasted almonds at the end. They add a delicious nutty crunch!

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20-minute coconut fish curry

A quick and light fish curry recipe with punchy Asian flavours and a creamy coconut base. Served with rice and sprinkled with toasted almonds and coriander.

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Prep Time 8 mins

Cook Time 12 mins

Cuisine Asian

Servings (click to change) 2

Author Helen

Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)

cups/ounces – grams/ml

• ▢ a medium onion sliced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons curry paste e.g. korma rogan josh, madras … (adjust amount of paste to taste)
• ▢ 1 cup coconut milk full or lower fat
• ▢ one stock cube fish, chicken or veggie
• ▢ 2.5 ounces green beans fresh or frozen
• ▢ 1 red or green or yellow pepper chopped into large chunks
• ▢ 7 ounces white fish cut into large chunks (& defrosted if frozen, which is fine)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh coriander chopped
• ▢ 1 1/2 tablespoon slivered almonds
• ▢ rice to serve
• ▢ lemon or lime wedges natural yoghurt, popadoms/naan bread to serve (optional)

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Instructions

 

• Heat a drizzle of oil in a large saucepan, then fry the onion gently for a few minutes until softened. Meanwhile, heat a kettle of water and then blanch the green beans for a few minutes in a small saucepan (if using fresh beans).
• Add the curry paste along with a splash of water and stir for a minute or two to release the flavours.
• Stir in the coconut milk and crumble in the stock cube, stir around then add the blanched green beans (or frozen green beans) and pepper. Stir around and let it simmer for a few minutes with the lid on the saucepan.
• Lay the fish on top of the sauce and vegetables, then replace the lid and simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the fish is just cooked.
• Meanwhile, lightly toast the almonds in a dry frying pan (you could get your other add-ons ready during this time, too – rice, coriander, yoghurt, naan, lime/lemon etc.) Serve out the curry into bowls carefully (to keep the fish in large pieces), sprinkle on the coriander and almonds and add a lemon/lime wedge (if using). Enjoy with the yoghurt and your rice and/or naan and/or popadoms as you prefer.

Notes

Curry paste

I have successfully used many different types of curry paste in this recipe. It doesn’t really matter, although Madras and Korma pastes go well with the creamy coconut milk. 

For a medium spiced curry, use about 2 tablespoons of curry paste. Use a little more or less to taste. 

Vegetables

It’s very easy to replace the vegetables with whichever you have. Don’t have green beans? Use asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini/courgettes, eggplant/aubergine, or any other vegetables that cook fairly quickly.

Can you freeze this fish curry?

I wouldn’t recommend it as the fish will overcook when you reheat it. It’s best to eat it all in one go. 

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 25gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 71mgPotassium: 801mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 4495IUVitamin C: 82.7mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 5.6mg

Tried this recipe?Let me know if you liked it!