Fish and Spinach Poached in Coconut Milk
Serves: 1. Prep & cook 30–40 min.
TIP: If using a saucepan, the fish can be cut to fit into the pan.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2tsp oil for frying (not olive oil)
- 40g onion (I use spring onions and discard the leaves)
- ½ tsp lemongrass paste
- 1/3 -1/2 tsp chilli paste (depends on how spicy you want the dish to be)
- 1 medium ripe tomato (or 100g tin/carton of chopped tomatoes)
- 100ml coconut milk
- 20ml water
- 2 tsp lime or lemon juice
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- A handful of baby spinach leaves.
- 120g firm white fish fillet (boneless and skinned) such as cod or monkfish
- Torn fresh basil or coriander leaves to add as garnish (optional)
METHOD:
TIP: Begin cooking the rice before the fish dish
- Put the coconut milk, water, fish sauce, lemongrass paste, lemon/lime juice and sugar in a bowl.
- Give the ingredients in the bowl a quick stir then put the bowl to one side.
- If using fresh tomato, roughly chop it (peeling it is optional–I prefer to peel it first).
- Finely chop the onion.
- Add the oil to the saucepan and put on medium heat.
- Add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes until the onion becomes soft (you don’t need to allow it to brown).
- Then add chopped tomatoes and the bowl of coconut milk (and its contents) to the pan, stir, bring to a simmer, drop the heat to a medium-low level immediately, and leave to simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Now add the spinach leaf and give the sauce a quick stir, then add the fish fillet.
- Spoon some sauce over the fish.
- Leave to poach for 4 to 5 minutes–until the fish just cooked (occasionally spoon sauce over the fish).
- Serve; if preferred, you can sprinkle the coriander or basil on top.
