Coconut Fish: A Delicious Thai-Inspired Flavor

Today we are going to make a very home-style Thai coconut fish soup. The fish is tender, the coconut milk is richly fragrant, the taste is moderately sour and spicy. The overall taste is rich and delicious. It is an unforgettable delicacy.

1 Reviews
1 Comments
POSTED:01/03/2025
Level:Medium
Yield:2-3 servings
Total:55 min
(includes chilling time)
Active:15 min

What is coconut fish?

Coconut Fish is a dish that combines fish with coconuts. Usually, coconut milk or coconut meat is used to enhance the flavor. This dish is commonly found in Southeast Asia, especially in traditional cuisines of places like Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. When making it, fish is often simmered with coconut milk and spices to form a rich coconut fragrance. The taste is rich and refreshing.

Ingredients Needed

Salmon: Choose fresh salmon. Its meat is tender and suitable for cooking.

Coconut milk: Provides a rich coconut fragrance and makes the soup more mellow.

Onion: Adds sweetness and aroma to the dish.

Shiitake mushrooms: Add the unique flavor of mushrooms.

Lemongrass: Has a unique lemon aroma and can bring a strong Thai flavor to the dish.

Ginger: Removes fishy smell and enhances fragrance.

Garlic: Enhances the flavor.

Bay leaves: Add aroma.

Fish sauce: Enhances freshness and is a key seasoning for Thai flavor.

Sugar: Balances the taste and adds sweetness.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Improper handling of salmon

Excessive cleaning: Salmon has tender meat. Excessive cleaning may damage its meat structure, making the fish easily fall apart during cooking. The surface impurities of salmon should be gently rinsed with clean water to avoid long-term soaking or vigorous rubbing.

Inappropriate cutting size: If the salmon pieces are cut too large, it may be difficult for the inside to be seasoned and cooked thoroughly; if cut too small, it is easy to break during cooking. Generally, cutting into pieces about 2 - 3 centimeters thick is more appropriate.

Inadequate handling of lemongrass

Lemongrass is one of the important spices for Thai coconut milk fish. Its outer layer is relatively hard.

If a part of the outer layer is not peeled off or smashed, its fragrance is difficult to be fully released.

The correct way is to cut off the root and top of lemongrass, peel off the harder outer layer, and then gently flatten it with the back of a knife. In this way, the fragrance can be better released during cooking.

Wrong order of adding seasonings

Seasonings such as fish sauce and sugar should be added after the coconut milk and other ingredients have been simmered for a while.

If added too early, the taste of seasonings may become too strong due to long-term simmering and lose balance.

The correct order is to simmer vegetables and spices such as onions and shiitake mushrooms with coconut milk to bring out the fragrance, and then add fish sauce and sugar for seasoning.

Too long or too short simmering time

If the simmering time is too long, the salmon will become dry and lose its tender taste;

If the simmering time is too short, the salmon may not fully absorb the taste of the soup, and vegetables such as shiitake mushrooms and onions may not be cooked thoroughly.

Generally speaking, it is more appropriate to simmer salmon in coconut milk soup for about 10-15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

MAIN INGREDIENTS

  • 300g salmon
  • 600ml coconut milk
  • 1/4 onion
  • 5 mushrooms

ACCESSORIES

  • half lemongrass
  • some ginger
  • some garlic
  • 2 bay leaves

SEASONINGS

  • half spoon fish sauce
  • 1 spoon sugar
  • some oil

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

Shred white onions, slice ginger, mince garlic, quarter shiitake mushrooms, and pound lemongrass.

Then prepare two bay leaves and chop a chili pepper.

Processing food

STEP 2

Add oil to the pan and fry the mushrooms first until golden and colored, then take them out.

fry the mushrooms

STEP 3

Then stir-fry the ingredients. Add oil to the pan and stir-fry ginger, onions, garlic, and lemongrass.

Then stir-fry the ingredients.

STEP 4

Directly add 600 ml of coconut juice.

If you don't want the soup to be so thick, you can also add a little water to dilute it.

Directly add 600 ml of coconut juice.

STEP 5

Add chili peppers and bay leaves.

Add chili peppers and bay leaves

STEP 6

While the soup is boiling, you can cut the salmon into pieces.

While the soup is boiling

STEP 7

Add the salmon directly to the soup and cook for about 10-15 minutes.

Add the salmon directly to the soup

STEP 8

Add the fried shiitake mushrooms and season with half a spoonful of fish sauce and sugar.

Add the fried shiitake mushrooms

STEP 9

Serve on a plate

First take out the salmon and place it at the bottom of the bowl.

Then pour the soup around it. Finally, place bay leaves and coriander for decoration.

Serve on a plate

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Recipe Variations

1. Ingredient substitutions

Fish selection

Perch has tender meat and few spines, which can bring a different taste to Thai coconut milk fish. Compared to salmon, perch has firmer meat and is not easy to fall apart after simmering.

Tilapia has a unique flavor. It can absorb the taste of coconut milk and spices during cooking and is suitable for people who like softer meat and delicate texture.

Vegetable combinations

Broccoli is rich in vitamins and fiber, which can add rich colors and nutrition to the dish. In Thai coconut milk fish, broccoli can be added in the last few minutes of simmering to maintain its crisp and tender texture.

Spinach can add a refreshing taste and rich nutrition to Thai coconut milk fish. It can be added when the simmering is almost over and cooked until slightly soft.

2. Flavor changes

Curry powder: Adding curry powder can enhance the flavor of Thai coconut milk fish and make it have a rich curry aroma. Add 1-2 teaspoons of curry powder during simmering and adjust the dosage according to personal taste.

Lemon leaves have a unique fragrance and can add a fresh taste to coconut milk fish. Add 2-3 lemon leaves during simmering to enhance the overall flavor.

3. Cooking methods

Oven baking:

Put salmon pieces in the oven and bake at 180-200℃ for 10-15 minutes until the surface is golden. After baking, add coconut milk and other ingredients for simmering, which can make the surface of the fish more crispy.

Stir-frying:

Fry the salmon pieces until golden on both sides, then add onions, shiitake mushrooms and other vegetables and stir-fry evenly, then add coconut milk for simmering. Stir-frying can make the surface of the fish more crispy and increase the fragrance of vegetables.

4. Matching staple foods

Fragrant rice: Fragrant rice has a unique aroma and goes well with Thai coconut milk fish. Fragrant rice can absorb the taste of coconut milk soup and make the rice more delicious.

Udon noodles: Udon noodles have a chewy texture. Matching with Thai coconut milk fish can increase the richness of texture. Udon noodles can be added during simmering and cooked with fish and vegetables.

Recipe analyzer

  • Recipes: Coconut Fish: A Delicious Thai-Inspired Flavor
  • Main Ingredients:8
  • Servings per recipe:1
  • Servings size:1.1 kg
Nutritional Summary of Recipe
Amount per 1027 g= 1 serving(s)
  • Energy (calories):1891 kcal
    88%
  • Protein:78.92 g
    146%
  • Fat:167.03 g Why gray?
    345%
  • Carbohydrates:39.24 g
    19%
Calorie breakdown
  • Protein: 17%
    321 kcal
  • Fat: 75%
    1412 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 8%
    157 kcal
The chart shows the percentage of calories intake (energy) coming from the respective macronutrients (fats, protein and carbohydrates).
Omega 6 : Omega 3
1:1
20:1
1:2
Both fatty acids are essential, but nowadays the majority of western diets include excessive amounts of Omega 6 acid.

The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.

1 REVIEWS

Review
Your rating:
EmmaJanuary 06, 2025

This coconut fish recipe was so creamy and flavorful! The coconut milk and spices created the perfect Thai-inspired sauce.
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