Fish Curry with Garden Vegetables

We love anything curry here. Thai curries, Indian curries, curry roasted potatoes, you name it. Our kids love curry too. Those flavors are passed through breastmilk, so they became addicted quite young. One of my favorite things about making a curried dish is the fact that it is fast, easy, and of course, a one-pot meal.

This Thai fish curry recipe uses fresh garden veggies, halibut, coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai basil. The key to a good curry is timing. I like to keep the veggies all evenly cooked and not over-cooked. Carrots and onions take a little longer to cook, so I start with those. I will test a carrot, and when it is about halfway done cooking, I will add the other faster cooking veggies such as zucchini and bell peppers.

When purchasing the fish, I usually buy 1.5 to 2 pounds and then ask to have the skin removed. When I am ready to make the curry all I need to do is cut the fish into cubes. It is much easier this way, especially when you have twin two-year-old boys chasing each other below you arguing whether each is an airplane or not ("I'm an airplane....no you're not....yes I am....zoom!").

This curry has another key ingredient that is very beneficial to your health: Turmeric. This orangish-yellow spice will stain your clothes forever but is an excellent anti-inflammatory. In Tom's words: "Curcumin is an amazing compound found in turmeric that can change our gene expression. It has a tendency to lower inflammation, increase detox enzyme expression, and increase antioxidant protein expression. In short, it lowers the impact of life's insults, and increases your innate buffering mechanisms to minimize the residual effect of those insults."

Thai Fish Curry with Garden Veggies

This curry can easily be made vegan too by omitting the fish and replacing the fish sauce with a little extra Herbamare. Any variety of garden vegetables will work here. Try walla walla onions, cauliflower, cabbage, green beans....or even mushrooms. Kaffir lime leaves can be found at your local Asian market. They are very inexpensive and can be frozen. I keep a few small bags in the freezer and then take them out to use as I need them. Kaffir lime leaves look somewhat similar to bay leaves and will give your curry an authentic Thai flavor. Fish only takes about 3 minutes to cook, so be sure to add it last! Enjoy with cooked brown jasmine rice for a complete meal.

1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil or olive oil

1 medium onion, cut into crescent moons

4 medium carrots, sliced diagonally

4 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 can coconut milk

1 cup water, chicken stock, or fish stock

4 kaffir lime leaves

4 teaspoons Thai Kitchen red curry paste

2 tablespoons Thai Kitchen fish sauce

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Herbamare

2 medium zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise and then cut into rounds

2 small red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 medium ripe garden tomatoes, diced small

1.5 to 2 pounds fresh Halibut, skin removed and cut into cubes

large handful of fresh Thai Basil leaves, chiffonade (sliced thinly)

In an 11-inch skillet or other large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and garlic and saute a few minutes more.

Then add the turmeric, coconut milk, water, lime leaves, red curry paste, fish sauce, and Herbamare. Stir to incorporate the curry paste. Simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes or until carrots are partway cooked.

Then add the zucchini and bell peppers. Note: if you are using green beans, you will want to add them earlier. Simmer until the veggies are crisp-tender then add the tomatoes and fish and simmer for an additional 3 minutes or so. Be careful not to stir too much otherwise the fish will fall apart. Sprinkle with Thai basil and serve hot!

More curry recipes:

Fresh Vegetable Curry

Thai Green Curry

Raw Cilantro-Lime Chutney

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