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Coconut Fish Stew With Basil and Lemongrass

Serves: 2
From: NY Times Cooking
Coconut milk

This stew is profoundly flavoured and nuanced, with pungent notes of herbs, lime and saline fish sauce softened by the coconut milk, supple seafood and rice.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 2½ cups chicken stock
  • 1 400ml can coconut milk
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, if desired, and thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lime
  • 350g snapper or other firm fish (cut into chunks), peeled shrimp, scallops or a combination
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • Fresh lime juice, to taste
  • Cooked rice, for serving (optional)

Method

  1. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until shallots are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in stock, coconut milk, lemongrass, jalapeño, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, salt and lime zest. Simmer for 10 minutes.

  2. Stir in seafood and herbs. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in lime juice and serve, with rice if desired. (Note: Without rice it’s more soup than stew.)