Hot foods for hot countries. In the Caribbean, curries are as common as coconuts. Using coconut oil and fish and/or chicken, these hearty soups are wonderfully cooling, even on the hottest days. Who knew? You should taste this curry and adjust seasonings as you go along. Remember, a recipe like this is just a guide. Those in your family who can afford it, can serve the thick, rich, luscious fish stew over rice, but you, just enjoy the unmitigated pleasure of a cooling hot dish.
Island Fish Curry
A deep golden color, this traditional fish curry is a standby in the tropics. Although it is traditionally served over rice, Silver Clouders will want to eschew the rice and eat it from a deep bowl. Yum.
Yield: Makes 4 servings
1 tablespoon coconut oil
4 cod OR snapper fillets (about 6 ounces each), cut into large bite-sized pieces
sea salt and cracked black pepper
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 1/2 cups canned coconut milk
3 tbsp fresh lime juice + grated zest of a lime
1 teaspoon Thai chili paste sauce
1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon turmeric
4 plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1 bag (10 oz) baby spinach, washed and chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season fish with salt and pepper and cook (skin side down) 2 or 3 minutes. Remove fish from skillet. Return skillet to heat; cook garlic, ginger, and onion until tender. Add coconut milk, lime juice, zest, Thai chili paste, fish sauce, and turmeric. Bring to a boil. Taste and adjust seasonings, then add fish; simmer 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, peppers, spinach and cilantro. Heat to a boil. Serve in soup bowls.