Scallops in Green Curry Sauce Recipe

By
Chichi Wang
Chichi Wang: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats

Chichi Wang wrote a variety of columns for Serious Eats including The Butcher's Cuts, in addition to other stories. Born in Shanghai and raised in New Mexico, Chichi took her degree in philosophy but decided that writing about food would be more fun than writing about Plato.

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Updated May 15, 2019
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Scallops in green curry sauce is a classic combination; I used small but perfectly juicy bay scallops. A garnish of thinly sliced makrut lime leaves infused the broth with a refreshing hint of citrus.

Adapted from From Kebabs to Curries by Madhur Jaffrey.

Recipe Details

Scallops in Green Curry Sauce Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 20 mins
Total 25 mins
Serves 4 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound scallops

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 4 tablespoons coconut cream

  • 1 cup coconut milk, left undisturbed for a few hours

  • 4 to 5 tablespoons green curry paste, or to taste

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons fish sauce, or to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

  • Basil or makrut lime leaves, to garnish

Directions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy pan. Add the scallops and brown on one side, so that the other side is left uncooked. Remove the scallops and set aside.

  2. To form the sauce: Open the can of coconut milk and skim off the top layer of thick cream, about 4 tablespoons worth. Stir the remaining milk to reincorporate the coconut cream.

  3. Pour the oil into a large, nonstick lidded pan and set over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the coconut cream and the green curry paste. Stir the paste around until it is lightly browned and the oil has separated from the coconut in the cream. You have just cracked the coconut.

  4. Add the liquids: the coconut milk and about 1/2 cup of water to thin it out. You can add more or less water, depending on your preference for the consistency. Add the salt, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir and bring to a simmer.

  5. Cover the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes or so over low heat. This may all be done in advance and kept covered for 2 to 3 hours.

  6. Add the scallops to the curry broth. Simmer briefly, about 10 to 20 seconds, until the scallops are just cooked through. Finely chop the makrut or basil leaves, and add to the pot. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
268Calories
20gFat
9gCarbs
15gProtein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories268
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g25%
Saturated Fat 11g57%
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 1340mg58%
Total Carbohydrate 9g3%
Dietary Fiber 1g2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 15g
Vitamin C 9mg45%
Calcium 32mg2%
Iron 3mg17%
Potassium 434mg9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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