Wow, this recipe has been in the queue for quite some time (from way back in February 2015). Not sure why I never got around to posting it, as it’s one of my all-time favorite dishes. Somehow it slipped through the cracks?

I’ve made this Thai coconut curry many times over the years, including several dinner parties. The combination of flavors is always a hit — coconut milk, ginger, lemongrass, fish sauce, shrimp paste (which on its own is extremely pungent, but adds depth of flavor and umami to the curry), Thai basil, etc. — with a balanced amount of heat from Thai/bird’s eye chiles.

I’ve made this curry with just about any combination of fish and seafood, from a white firm fish like cod or halibut, salmon, shrimp, mussels, scallops, and/or squid. You could swap out the fish/seafood all together for chicken or prepare it entirely with vegetables, such as butternut squash, green or snap beans, cauliflower, etc.

I particularly like making this dish in the summer when I have an abundant amount of Thai basil growing in the garden. I’ve already bought some seeds, just waiting for it to warm up to start the seedlings. There’s nothing like growing your own herbs and being able to pop back into the backyard to harvest wherever you want, even a tiny urban backyard, like mine.

Thai red chiles are small but pack a punch of heat. Add more or less depending on your heat tolerance and preference. I usually add two or three, which is pleasantly spicy but not overpowering.

For this version, I used a combination of wild sockeye (or coho or king) salmon and head on shrimp, which is always a treat when I can come by them (which is not very often).

Thai Coconut Seafood Curry

serves 4
1 1/2-inch piece of ginger (~ 1 tablespoon grated)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 lemongrass stalks thinly sliced
2 teaspoons raw cane sugar
2 teaspoons shrimp paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons of your favorite curry powder
2 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
2-3 Thai chiles, minced (more or less to taste)
Grated rind and juice of a lime
1 pound salmon, skinned, pin-bones removed, cut into ~1-inch cubes
3/4 pound shrimp
small bunch Thai basil leaves
small bunch cilantro leaves
Rice noodle or steamed rice for serving

Using a mortal and pastel (or alternatively a hand grater or mini food processor), grind the ginger and garlic until if forms a paste.

Heat the oil in a wok or heavy pan. Add the onion and sauté until is becomes golden-brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté another minute. Add the sliced lemongrass, chiles, and cane sugar. Cook briefly before adding the shrimp paste, fish sauce and curry powder. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, lime rind and juice. Bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and fish and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the shrimp and fish are just cooked through (be mindful not to overcook the fish/shrimp as they will continue to cook after you take them off the heat).

Stir in the basil and cilantro leaves and serve with rice noodles or steamed rice.

*Variations: add mussels, squid, scallops.  Swap out the salmon for a firm, white fish.  Use chicken in lieu of fish/shellfish.