Curry in a Hurry

Reading over the ingredient list, the name of the recipe may strike some as odd: how can it be a curry when there’s no curry paste or powder in it? Readers, meet my good friend Thai curry. Thai curry is sweeter and milder than traditional Indian curries—you could almost think of it as curry for beginners. To make this recipe even more palatable to the food-shy amongst you, the halibut can easily be replaced with chicken or shrimp. And, for the bold, feel free to have a heavier hand with the turmeric and ginger—I could go up to almost 2 tablespoons of the ginger especially.

As far as other substitutions go, the turmeric and ginger really need to be there, as does the coconut milk and clam juice. However, if you don’t have any cilantro on hand, try swapping it out for fresh basil. There is a basil variety specifically called Thai basil, but regular old basil will work just fine—the sweetness of the herb is a delicious compliment to the mild spice.

Thai Fish Curry
Serves 2

½ small white onion, cut into large pieces
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
1 tbsp. turmeric
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tbsp. cumin
3 cloves garlic, peeled
¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
12 oz. halibut fillets, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 c. unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 c. clam juice
red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
sea salt and black pepper
cooked jasmine rice, for serving

In a food processor, combine the onion, cilantro, turmeric, ginger, cumin, garlic and red pepper flakes until a dry paste forms.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of the spice mixtures and sauté for 1 minute. Add the fish and cook 1-2 minutes on each side. Add the coconut milk, clam juice and bell pepper and simmer until the fish is cooked through, about 3 more minutes on each side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fish to a plate and keep warm, but leave the peppers in.

Raise the heat to high and boil until the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce, about 8-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the fish to the skillet and gently stir to cover the pieces with the sauce. Stir in the cilantro, then serve over jasmine rice.