Fish poached in a coconut milk-based sauce can be found throughout the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Though many such dishes contain sauteed onions and peppers, Caribbean versions often add potatoes and coconut pulp while Southeast asian versions often add lemongrass, basil and heat in the form of chiles. Here, I set out to make my own version of red snapper with coconut milk, and ended up adding tomato paste, saffron and lime. Ingredients:
4 red snapper filets
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 onion, sliced
2 bell peppers: 1 green and 1 red, sliced
1 pinch saffron
1 lime
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dried oregano, to taste
Olive oil
Procedure:
(1) Shake can of coconut milk. Add saffron and stir.
(2) Sautee sliced onion and peppers in olive oil over medium heat for 5-10 minutes.
(3) Turn down heat to medium-low and add saffron-infused coconut milk.
(4) Juice one lime over contents of pan and stir well to incorporate.
(5) Season fish filets with salt, pepper and oregano and add to pan. Spoon some of the vegetables and sauce over the filets.
(6) After fish has cooked for at least a few minutes on one side, flip filets with a spatula and allow to cook for a few more minutes.
(7) Serve immediately with white rice.
