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Thai Red Curry with Fish and Vegetables

This aromatic, vibrant dish comes together easily and quickly, with just a bit of prep work. Extremely customizable with your choice of seafood or protein, and the types of vegetables you want to use. And it easily turns into a soup!
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Thai
Keyword Fish Curry, Red Curry, Thai Red Curry
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oil, like avocado or mild olive oil
  • 1/2 small yellow or white onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste, see Notes
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp brown sugar, to taste, add more if you so desire
  • 1-400 ml 15 oz can coconut milk (not cream), see Notes
  • 250 ml (1 cup) chicken or vegetable stock, see Notes
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 4 cups assorted vegetables, julienned, like bell peppers, carrots, beans, kale, see Notes
  • 4 halibut or cod loins, about 150 grams or 5 oz each patted dry and cut into large bite sized pieces, see Notes
  • Tamari or soy sauce, if needed, to add depth once the curry is done.
  • 2 or more cups cooked rice, can use basmati, Jasmine, or even leftover rice you have in the fridge, see Notes
  • Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro, Thai basil, lime wedges, finely sliced scallions, chili oil crisp, sriratcha, chopped peanuts, see Notes

Instructions

Thai Red Curry

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot or braiser over medium high heat. Add in the onion, ginger and garlic. Gently cook till softened and starting to turn golden. Adjust heat down if necessary. Add in the turmeric, red curry paste and brown sugar and stir to coat everything well.
  2. Add the coconut milk, stock, and fish sauce. Stir everything to blend well. Bring to a gentle boil

  3. Add in the vegetables, starting with the firmer ones which require more cooking (ie: carrots vs bell peppers) and reduce the heat to medium or so, to maintain a gentle rolling simmer.

    After about two minutes, add the remaining vegetables, as well as the fish. Place the lid on the pot and let everything cook till the fish is just opaque, tender and flakey. Depending on the the thickness of the fish you are using, this could take only two to three minutes, turning over and then cooking the other side. Add thicker pieces of fish a minute before thin fish or shrimp.

  4. Taste and adjust any seasonings. Do you want it sweeter, add a bit more sugar. Need it to be more savoury, add some tamari or soy sauce for umami depth. Salt will be in the fish sauce, so only add salt once the curry is done and you can taste it all together.

    Depending on how thick you want the sauce, I share alternatives below in the notes.

To Serve

  1. Divide the rice between four bowls. Ladle fish and then the curry and vegetables evenly between the four bowls.

  2. Garnish with lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and sliced scallions. You can also serve the curry with extra heat like chili crisp oil, sriratcha, or thinly sliced red chili pepper. Chopped peanuts are also fabulous.

Soup Version

  1. Make the curry exactly as described above, just adding more liquid (using a higher ratio of coconut milk to stock will result in a slightly thicker, creamier soup) depending on how many you want to feed.
  2. Instead of rice, prepare udon or ramen noodles per package directions. Divide this among the bowls you are serving. Ladle the curry soup over the noodles and stir to combine. Garnish as describe above.
  3. Store any leftover curry in a sealed container in the fridge. Re-warm over low heat.

  4. See blog post for more details and suggestions.

Recipe Notes

Start with the amount of curry paste stated, add more once you have tasted the curry sauce if you so desire. You can switch up the red curry paste for yellow or green curry paste, it will change the flavour, and the heat level may change, so adjust as you see fit.
Use full fat canned coconut milk, not the type found in a carton meant for drinking or adding to smoothies etc.
*Change the ratio of coconut milk to stock to create a thicker, creamier curry. You can also add in a cornstarch slurry (either 2 tsp cornstarch in 1 tsp cool water, or 1 tbsp cornstarch whisked in 2 tsp water, depending on how thick you want the sauce) and stir it through the simmering sauce till smooth and gently thickened.  Add it in once you remove the fish, whisk it gently through.
You can use fish stock if you have that on hand as well.
For a full choice of vegetables, see the blog post. Ensure that the vegetables you choose are all chopped or julienned in similar sizes for even cooking. If you are making a vegetarian version, feel free to increase the amount of vegetables you are using.
Feel free to use any firm white fish you desire, or even shrimp etc. You can even combine them in one curry. You can also replace the fish with chicken or even tofu. See blog post for full list.
Garnishes are all a suggestion, the lime, scallions and cilantro are classic and will balance the flavours. The heat options are as you desire.