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Coconut Curry-Braised Fish
Any thick, firm white fish, such as cod or Chilean sea bass, will work for this easy weeknight dish inspired by chef Edward Lee. Avoid a thin filet such as sole or tilapia, which will break down in the braising liquid. Using full-fat coconut milk was important, as it will not break as the vegetables cook. Low-sodium chicken broth gave us better control over the dish's final seasoning.
4
Servings
Tip
Don’t cook the fish too long or it will fall apart.
20 minutes
Ingredients
-
1
14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
-
2
medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into ½ -inch pieces
Directions
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01In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, combine the coconut milk, carrots, onion, garlic, turmeric, curry powder and pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until thickened and the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
Reviews
April 19, 2026
Really good
This was great and really simple. Make sure the carrots are cooked before you add the broth. You definitely need the juice of one lime at the end. 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes makes this medium hot.
May 5, 2023
Easy and tasty weeknight meal
I've made this several times and it's always delicious, though I think the cooking time for the vegetables in the first step should be longer.
September 25, 2025
Winner
I took the suggestion of a previous comment and bloomed the spices as well as sautéed the garlic til golden before adding the veg and coconut milk. The curry turned out great and the meal came together quickly and easily! We topped with lime, cilantro, and fresh jalapeño slices. I highly recommend serving with jalapeno! Next time, I may add 1 more teaspoon each of the curry and turmeric and try halving the broth. This dish will be in my rotation for sure!
Very good as a quick weekday supper--though it can be improved if you take some time. My wife had a long day and went to bed, so I had more time with my hake than I'd thought. I softened the onions and carrots and bloomed the spices in coconut oil for a couple of minutes (no browning!) before adding the coconut milk. I had the luxury of letting this sit off heat for an hour... at which point I added the chicken stock and tasted... Good but not profound. The fish chunks certainly gave it more savor, but after they had cooked 10 minutes I still wasn't elated... So I stirred in a more pungent kind of curry powder (madras) and added a splash of coconut vinegar and some cilantro. Oh, boy. Oh yeah. My wife still wasn't up so I took out the fish pieces with a slotted spoon and simmered the sauce a little more. I'm not sure I'd do that again since the carrots pretty much dissolved into the sauce and I had to add some stock to thin it a bit. But wow... it was good. I think this is one of those valuable "weeknight" dishes that can be enhanced if you take just a bit more time and play around with it.
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Very good! Make sure the sauce is cooked long enough for the flavors to meld before adding the fish.