Coconut Lime Poached Cod
Tender Atlantic cod gently poached in a vibrant Indian-inspired coconut milk sauce infused with fresh lime, ginger, shallot, and red curry, finished with cilantro, green onion, and a drizzle of chili oil. A bright, anti-inflammatory, show-stopping seafood entrée ready in under 30 minutes.
By @passme.thesalt
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 pieces Cod Fillet fresh or frozen and thawed
- 0 Water for thawing, if using frozen
- 1 Shallot thinly sliced
- 0.5 ounce Ginger 6-8 thin slices, unpeeled if washed
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Lime zested
- 1 tbsp Oil neutral or coconut oil for best flavor
- 0 Shallot
- 0 Ginger
- 0 Garlic
- 2 tbsp Red Curry Paste use 1 tbsp for mild, up to 2 tbsp for heat
- 13.5 oz Coconut Milk 1 can, full-fat preferred
- 1.5 tsp Lime Zest freshly grated
- 1 tsp Salt
- 0.5 tsp Pepper freshly ground
- 1 tsp Sugar optional, to balance acidity
- 0 Cod Fillet
- 2 Green Onion chopped, for garnish
- 0.25 cup Cilantro roughly chopped, for garnish
- 0 Chili Oil for garnish, optional
- 1 Lime cut in wedges, for serving
Instructions
- If using frozen cod, thaw the fillets by placing them in a sealed bag in a bowl of cold water. Weigh down with a plate and refresh the water after 15 minutes. Pat fillets very dry with paper towels to ensure even cooking and remove excess moisture.
- Thinly slice the shallot and ginger (no need to peel ginger if washed). Mince the garlic cloves. Zest the lime using a microplane for fine, aromatic zest.
- Heat a large sauté pan with oil over medium-low. When oil shimmers, add the sliced shallot, ginger, and minced garlic. Sauté gently until the shallot turns translucent and aromatic, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the red curry paste and cook for 1 minute, mixing well, until fragrant and the aromatics are evenly coated.
- Pour in the coconut milk. Stir until the curry paste fully dissolves and sauce looks smooth.
- Add lime zest, salt, pepper, and sugar (if using) to the sauce. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer, not a boil.
- Nestle the cod fillets gently into the coconut curry sauce in a single layer. Spoon sauce over the top of each fillet so they begin poaching evenly.
- Cover the pan and let the fish poach on medium-low heat for 12 minutes. The cod is ready when it's opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Turn off the heat. Carefully lift the cod fillets onto warm plates using a wide spatula, keeping them intact.
- Stir the sauce and spoon a generous amount over each piece of cod on the plates.
- Garnish each plate with freshly chopped green onion, cilantro leaves, and a drizzle of chili oil. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.
- Serve immediately with steamed basmati rice or warm naan to soak up the coconut-lime curry sauce. Enjoy!