Monkfish Curry with Bok Choy and Pea Pod Stir Fry
Monkfish Curry is a wonderfully rich and flavorful dish. The heat, salt, and citrus levels can be adjusted to any preference, and the ingredient variations are endless. Serve with simple steamed rice, or add my quick and easy Bok Choy and Pea Pod Stir Fry (recipe included). Enjoy!
Ingredients
For the Curry Paste (makes about ¾ cup)
- 2 whole fresh red chili peppers, seeded & chopped
- 3 - 5 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
- 2 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves removed & trimmed
- 2 - 3 shallots, peeled & chopped (about ½ cup)
- 2 small fresh bay leaves, finely chopped
- 1" piece fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- zest of 1 lime
- 2 - 3 tablespoons water, as needed
For the Seafood Broth/Sauce
- 1 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- curry paste (recipe above)
- 1 - 2 shallots, peeled & sliced (about ¼ cup)
- 1 - 14 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3 teaspoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
- 1 pound fresh monkfish, cut into evenly-sized pieces
- 1/2 pound fresh clams, cleaned
- 1/2 pound fresh mussels
To Serve
- 1 - 2 fresh red chili peppers, seeded & thinly sliced for garnish
- 1 lime, sliced for garnish
- 2 - 4 cups cooked jasmine rice, to serve
For the Bok Choy & Pea Pod Stir Fry
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup fresh pea pods (5 - 6 ounces)
- 4 - 5 large bok choy stalks, trimmed and sliced - greens reserved separately
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice + more to taste
Instructions
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Cook or warm rice.
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For the curry paste: Place ingredients in a food processor and pulse several times. Add water as needed - a tablespoon at a time. Continue processing and scrape down the sides of the processor bowl often. Process until curry paste comes together. This will take several minutes as the lemon grass and bay leaves break down. The paste will be “rustic” versus completely smooth, and very aromatic.
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Prepare monkfish by removing any membrane and cutting into bite-sized pieces. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
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Clean and de-beard clams and mussels. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
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Wash and trim pea pods and trim bok choy. Slice whole bok choy stalks at an angle, slicing and reserving tender greens to add last. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of oil to a large covered skillet, and warm over medium heat. Add pea pods, sliced bok choy stalks, and lime juice, and stir fry just until pea pods brighten in color and bok choy stems soften slightly. Add bok choy greens and cook for just a minute more. Remove vegetables from heat, place in a heat safe container, cover lightly to keep warm, and set aside.
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Add 2 tablespoons of oil to warm skillet. Add prepared curry paste and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add sliced shallots, coconut milk, palm sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce, and stir to combine. Allow sauce to cook 5 minutes or until it begins to bubble. Add cubed monkfish and mussels, stir and cover for 3 minutes. Stir again and cover for another 2 - 3 minutes until fish is cooked (to 145 degrees), and clams and mussels are open. Discard any clams or mussels that do not open.
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To serve, spoon monkfish, clams and mussels over rice with plenty of sauce. Garnish with thinly sliced red chilies and fresh lime slices. Enjoy immediately with the warm Bok Choy and Pea Pod Stir Fry.
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SHOPPING LIST
1 pound fresh monkfish
½ pound fresh clams
½ pound fresh mussels
3 - 4 fresh red chili peppers
3 - 5 garlic cloves
2 stalks lemongrass
4 - 5 shallots
fresh bay leaves (found with fresh herbs in grocery stores)
fresh ginger (1” knob)
fresh pea pods (5 - 6 ounces)
1 large bok choy
2 – 3 fresh limes
vegetable oil (3 - 4 tablespoons)
1, 14 oz. can coconut milk
coconut palm sugar (2 tablespoons)
fish sauce (3 teaspoons)
turmeric, ground (1 teaspoon)
jasmine rice (about 2 cups dry)