Kingfish Steaks in Coconut-Chili Sauce [Recipe]
Here’s a look at yesterday’s lunch of Kingfish Steaks in Coconut-Chili Sauce, a dish that while South Asian-inspired definitely has its own fusion flair. It’s warm and spicy, but also creamy and filling. It was definitely one of those occasions when you hit the kitchen, with a “sort of idea” of what direction you want to go in, but you don’t have any hard and fast rules. However as the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention and some of my favorite culinary discoveries have come as a result of working with what I have on hand.
Right now I have a glut of frozen fish, one of the ways I’ve been insulating against current inflation by reducing my consumption of red meats and chicken. I decided to make something with some of my Kingfish (also known as King Mackerel) reserves, and as I had some sweet (bell) peppers that were quickly passing by their “best by” dates and an “end” of frozen peas an idea began to form.
For the “red sauce” I combined coconut milk and Korean red chili paste, better known as gochujang. I used to have ask my Koreans friends to bring in gochujang for me but it has become more readily available in Asian supermarkets here, as has Korean ramyun, but I digress! A dash of fish sauce and a generous helping of chopping ginger (I used bottled but fresh of course would eclipse) add equal punches of umami and brightness. Leave the green peas for the end as they just have to gently warm through. You dont’ want them to lose their colour or firmness!
Here’s a reel of how it all came together! (Psst) Are you following me on Instagram?
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- 12 ounces kingfish (approx. 4 steaks)
- 1.5 cup frozen green peas
- 1.5 cups coconut milk
- 1/2 tablespoon gochujang or roasted red chili paste
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger (fresh or bottled)
- 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 sweet (bell) peppers, sliced
- 1/2 fluid ounce fresh lime juice
- Soak fish for 1 hour in 1/2 gallon of water with 1 tablespoon of salt (this reduces albumin leaking)
- In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat add the coconut milk, chili paste, minced ginger, fish sauce, brown sugar and sweet peppers.
- Mix to combine sauce ingredients, continue to heat until it boils then add the fish.
- Baste the fish with the sauce.
- Sprinkle the frozen peas around the pan.
- Simmer for 5 minutes
- Cover the pan and turn off the heat.
- Allow to sit for 5 minutes. (The fish should be opaque and flake easily)
- Add the lime juice and salt to taste.
