Why It Works
- Poaching the cod half-submerged in simmering liquid cooks it very gently.
- Using a smaller amount of poaching liquid and adding lots of aromatics helps season the fish. The broth, in turn, better captures the cod's flavor.
- Varying the proportion of coconut milk in the broth allows you to adjust the richness of the dish.
Gently poached in a broth of coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, fresh chiles, and fish sauce, this tender cod makes an easy and flavorful dinner. As I pointed out when I wrote about cooking à la nage, the fish is only half-submerged in simmering broth, which cooks it more gently than regular poaching. Plus, the smaller amount of aromatic broth effectively seasons the cod while becoming infused with the cod's flavor. If you want a richer broth, go ahead and use all coconut milk for the liquid; it'll be thick and intense and, frankly, a little fatty. If you want to lighten it a bit, you can substitute half the coconut milk with vegetable or fish broth.
July 2015
This recipe was cross-tested in 2023 to guarantee best results.
Recipe Details
Cod With Coconut Milk, Lime, and Lemongrass Recipe
Ingredients
2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
2 medium shallots (5 ounces; 145g), minced
3 medium cloves garlic (1/2 ounce; 15g), roughly chopped
1 fresh Thai red chile or Fresno pepper (1 ounce; 30g), stemmed and thinly sliced
Two 14-ounce (400ml) cans coconut milk (see notes)
2 teaspoons fish sauce
Three 2-inch strips lime peel from 1 lime
One 2-inch knob peeled fresh ginger (1/2 ounce; 15g), thinly sliced
One 8-inch stalk lemongrass (1/2 ounce; 15g), cut into 3-inch lengths and bruised with blunt side of knife
2 sprigs fresh cilantro, plus picked leaves for garnish
2 sprigs basil, preferably Thai basil, plus torn leaves for garnish
Four 6-ounce boneless, skinless cod fillets
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; for table salt, use half as much by volume
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh juice from 1 lime, plus extra wedges for serving
Directions
In a large, straight-sided sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shallot, garlic, and chile and cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened and shallot is translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add coconut milk (and broth, if using; see notes), fish sauce, lime peel, ginger, lemongrass, cilantro sprigs, and basil sprigs. Season cod with salt and pepper, then nestle in coconut broth; the fish should be partially submerged. Bring liquid to a simmer, then cover pan and lower heat. Cook, covered, until cod is just cooked through and registers 135°F (57°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes.
Using a slotted spatula, transfer cod to bowls. Whisk lime juice into broth. Season broth with salt and pepper, then ladle all around fish in the bowls along with the vegetables. Garnish with cilantro and basil leaves. Serve right away with lime wedges on the side.
Special Equipment
Notes
Using all coconut milk makes a thicker, richer broth; for a lighter version, use only one can of coconut milk and replace the other with 14 ounces of vegetable or fish broth.
Read More
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
471 | Calories |
29g | Fat |
13g | Carbs |
42g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 471 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 29g | 37% |
Saturated Fat 19g | 96% |
Cholesterol 94mg | 31% |
Sodium 1015mg | 44% |
Total Carbohydrate 13g | 5% |
Dietary Fiber 2g | 6% |
Total Sugars 3g | |
Protein 42g | |
Vitamin C 10mg | 52% |
Calcium 71mg | 5% |
Iron 5mg | 28% |
Potassium 835mg | 18% |
*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. |