Coconut Sambal Seafood Curry
I was going to start this post off by apologizing for not posting very often the last few months but then I remembered…1) like, 10 people read this and I’m sure they survived without the latest from me, and 2) there is a pandemic and being a person is hard these days. So instead, let me just tell you about how great coconut milk and sambal olek taste together. One is sweet and rich, the other is spicy and tangy. And to top it all off, this whole situation comes together in about 15 mins. Serve it up with some jasmine rice and you are in for a treat!
Thai curries are some of my favorite things because they are packed with flavor and if you have a good premade curry paste, coconut milk, any assortment of vegetables and proteins, you are 30 mins away from a great meal. This recipe is even simpler because there is no curry paste - it is aromatics, vegetables, whatever seafood you have, coconut milk and some sambal. I have shared before about my family’s addiction to sambal olek (we used to buy restaurant-sized jars)…I add it in to a lot of things these days for some complexity. Noodle bases, spaghetti sauce, Indian curries, fried rice. And of course, it’s also just a go-to condiment.
I had shrimp and salmon in the fridge for this curry but this recipe would work with chicken, tofu, whatever. Just watch for the cook times since seafood cooks a lot faster than most other proteins! Kaffir lime leaves can be challenging to find, if you don’t live near an Asian grocer; while it won’t be a one-to-one substitution, you can get away with lime zest.
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 tsp oil
3 stalks green onions, whites thinly sliced and greens sliced at an angle to garnish
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tsp ginger root, roughly chopped
6-8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat is better, obvi)
2 tbsp sambal olek (or less, if you don’t want it too spicy)
4 kaffir lime leaves or zest of 1 lime
6-8 oz salmon, cut into cubes and skin removed
4-6 shrimp
2 tsp fish sauce (optional, can replace with salt)
1/2 cup frozen peas (fresh is good too!)
2 tsp lime juice
salt to taste
Method
Heat a pot over medium heat. Add the oil and once shimmering, add the spring onion whites, ginger, and garlic. Sautee for 2-3 minutes or until aromatic. Next, add the mushrooms and spread them around the pot. Cook undisturbed for 4-5 mins. Then toss and cook for another 2-3 mins or until you see browning.
Now add in the lime leaves (crush them with your hand to release the aroma), sambal olek, and coconut milk. Add in 1/4-1/3 cup water to thin out the sauce. Let it come to a low boil for 3-4 mins.
Lastly, add the salmon, shrimp, peas, and fish sauce. Cover the pot and let cook for 3 mins. Finish by adding in the peas, lime juice, and the spring onion greens; let cook for 30 seconds to 1 min, or until the peas are thawed.
Check for salt and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with jasmine rice!
