Monchong Filets, Gently Cooked in Lemongrass and Yellow Curry with Easy Thai Coconut Rice

This is a simple curried fish dish and coconut rice from Curtis Stone via Take Home Chef. Chef Stone used striped bass filets, but I subbed in local monchong (aka deep sea pomfret, a firm, moderately-flavored white fish). 

I am a little bummed about the way this dish turned out, basically because I didn't have my favorite Thai yellow curry paste (this one) and every grocery store I went to was out. Yellow curry paste is harder to find here than red or green and I ended up using a yellow curry packet of dubious origin that I had in my pantry. (I wasn't thinking and tossed the packet before I investigated further, but it seemed to be mostly turmeric and lacked the bright flavor notes of a good Thai yellow curry.) I added extra lemongrass, ginger and kaffir lime leaves and a touch of lime juice and cooked it a bit longer, but it still fell a bit flat. I don't blame the recipe, curry paste is always fresher tasting and more vibrant than powder, so I think the fault is there. 

I noted the amounts I added to the recipe in red below. If you have a good, flavorful Thai curry paste you probably won't need the extra ingredients.

(Striped Bass) Fish Filets, Gently Simmered in Lemongrass and Yellow Curry
Slightly Adapted from The Take Home Chef via TLC.com 
(Serves 4)

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 lemongrass stalk, halved crosswise (I used 2 stalks)
1/4 cup yellow curry paste (I had a yellow curry powder packet without much flavor)
4 slices peeled fresh ginger (I used 6 slices)
2 kaffir lime leaves (I used 4 large kaffir lime leaves, slightly torn to release flavor)
one (14oz/400ml) can unsweetened coconut milk
four (6oz/185g) striped bass filets or other mild white fish (I used monchong)
sea salt, to taste
8oz/225g fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
(I added 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice)

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over a medium heat. Add the shallot and saute for 2 minutes or until soft. Using the back of a large knife, gently pound the lemongrass to bruise it all over.

Add the lemongrass, curry paste, ginger and kaffir lime leaves to the shallots. Saute for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the coconut milk and stir to blend in the curry paste. Simmer uncovered for a further 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Add the striped bass to the curry sauce. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes. You will know the fish is done when a toothpick can easily pierce through the flesh of the fish without any resistance.

Discard the ginger, lime leaves and lemongrass. Season the curry to taste with salt, if necessary. Using a metal spatula, transfer the fish to a plate. Return the curry sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Add the spinach to the curry sauce and toss for 2 minutes or just until the spinach wilts.

Mound the spinach in the center of 4 large dinner plates, dividing equally. Place the fish atop the spinach and garnish with the cilantro. Serve with Thai Coconut Rice.

Thai Coconut Rice
Slightly Adapted from The Take Home Chef via TLC.com
(Serves 4)

1 1/4 cups uncooked jasmine rice
1 cup cold water
3/4 cup/150 ml unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 tsp sea salt
dried coconut, lightly toasted, for garnish

Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear from the rice. Drain.

Combine 1 cup/225 ml fresh cold water, coconut milk and salt in a heavy based large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a near boil. Reduce the heat to low. Add the rice and stir constantly for 1 minute.

Cover and simmer over low heat without stirring for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, then cover and continue cooking 5 minutes longer or until the rice is almost tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from the heat and let the rice stand covered for 10 minutes or until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed. Lightly fluff up the rice with a fork. Transfer the rice to bowls and garnish with the toasted coconut and serve.

Notes/Results: The rice was delicious--you can't beat jasmine rice for its sweet, aromatic flavor which is only enhanced by the coconut milk and coconut chips--a definite keeper recipe. I was not as enamored by the curry but again, I blame the curry packet I used and not the recipe--it just wasn't the Thai yellow curry I love, so I'll try it again when I find the good Thai yellow curry paste I like or have the time and gumption to make my own yellow curry paste. The monchong was perfectly cooked however, tender and juicy. So overall, I'll still call this recipe a win. 

This post is linked up to I Heart Cooking Clubs where we are cooking Surf and/or Turf this week--Curtis Stone recipes featuring fish/seafood (surf) and/or meat/poultry/vegetables (turf). You can see what the other IHCC participants made my checking out the picture links on the post.

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