Thai coconut curry is one of my favorite exotic comfort food dishes, so as soon as I came across Ellie Krieger’s recipe, I just had to try it! It’s so simple and so delicious. I added a few of my favorite flavors like garlic, ginger and Thai basil, but pretty much kept it as it was written. The recipe is also very flexible. You can swap any type of seafood with the Halibut or if you’re not a seafood fan, can also use chicken. Either way you will really enjoy this!

 -Melanie

Health tips: Low fat, heart healthy, diabetes friendly, anti-inflammatory and low carb (without rice or noodles)

Ingredients (4 servings)

• Vegetable or canola oil
• 4 shallots, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated (1 nub)
• 1 tablespoon red curry paste or 2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups light coconut milk or cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Your choice of salt-free seasoning like Mrs. Dash
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets (Tip: Any white fish works like Cod or Mahi Mahi. You can also use shrimp!)
• Steamed or sauted spinach, lightly flavored with olive oil , garlic and seasonings
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus extra for garnish
• 2 scallions, green parts, thinly sliced, plus extra for garnish
• 1/4 cup Thai basil, plus extra for garnish
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus extra for garnish
• Optional: Red Fresno chilis, sliced, for garnish (Tip: These are pretty spicy, so remove seeds and membrane if you want to reduce heat.)
• Optional: 2 cups cooked brown rice or rice noodles, for serving

Steps

1. Season the halibut with 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and salt-free seasoning. In a large saute pan, heat some oil over high heat and quickly brown both sides of the halibut. Don’t cook through yet. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 more teaspoons of oil in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and  salt-free seasoning, and simmer until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 5 minutes.
3. Arrange the fish in the pan and gently shake the pan so the fish is coated with the sauce. Cover and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Serve optional rice or noodles at the bottom of a shallow bowl. Arrange a pile of spinach on top. Top with the fish fillets. Stir the cilantro, scallions, Thai basil and lime juice into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Ladle the sauce over the fish.
5. Garnish with more cilantro, scallions, Thai basil and lime juice, and red chilis as desired. Enjoy!