I call this vegetable-packed, coconut-simmered salmon the exact dish I want to eat the night before Thanksgiving. It’s easy, filling, wholesome, and supremely good for you. But the most important thing is that the flavors are vibrant and delicious, but are nothing like the flavors you’ll be having on the holidays – we have to save room!
Coconut Simmered Salmon
This 30-minute dinner has no business being this delicious. It's a simple combination of some of my favorite vegetables: red onion, carrots and bok choy, cooked down with some aromatics and then simmered with coconut milk. I let salmon steam on top, but this can be done with any fish or vegetarian protein you prefer.
Equipment
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 high-sided sauté pan with a tight fitting lid
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice any kind
- 1 large head of bok choy or two small heads
- 1 large red onion
- 2 large carrots
- 1 small serrano pepper
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 1- inch knob of fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 13.5 -ounce can of full- fat coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 pounds of Atlantic salmon
- Tender herbs such as mint dill, cilantro, for serving
- Lime for serving
Instructions
- First, cook the white rice according to package instructions, or by using a rice cooker.
- Wash the bok choy and pull off the leaves. Set aside. Peel the red onion and thinly slice it. Peel the carrots and thinly slice them. Thinly slice the serrano pepper. Grate the garlic cloves and the ginger. Set all components to the side.
- Place a large high-sided sauté pan with a fitted lid over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of olive oil, then 2 teaspoons turmeric, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon coriander. Give the spices a swirl in the oil.
- Add the red onion, carrots and serrano pepper to the pan, cook for 12-13 minutes, or until the vegetables are very softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes or until the garlic is no longer raw.
- While those vegetables are cooking, season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper and cut it into 2-inch chunks.
- After the vegetables have cooked down, add the bok choy, the can of coconut milk, and 1 cup of water. Bring this to a simmer, taste and season with salt and pepper, then cover, and let simmer for 5 minutes or until the bok choy has wilted.
- Uncover and add the salmon, then cover the pan again and simmer for 6-7 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and flaky. Turn off the heat.
- Taste the broth and season if needed, then scatter torn herbs all over the top.
- Serve with white rice and lime wedges.
Is it supposed to be 1/2 cup of olive oil?
Yes, it’s really delicious! You can cut it down to 1/4 cup if you’d like but the vegetables will dry out a bit during the cooking process.
Thank you! When do you add the garlic and ginger?
Same question!
Hii,
Do you have any recommendations as a substitute for the bok choy?
Any leafy green you like should work!
I softened the carrots a bit in the microwave before adding them. I added the ginger and garlic after the onion. I used about 1/4 cup of oil, or a bit less. After simmering the coconut milk and water for a bit to combine everything, I turned off the hit and put some of the sauce in a separate saucepan. I added shrimp and baby spinach to the smaller amount of sauce, covered, and simmered until the shrimp were cooked through and spinach had wilted. I have saved the rest of the sauce and hope to get three or four meals out of it – I’m thinking salmon filet for one and soft tofu for another. It was excellent and warming on a cold night.
When do you add the garlic and ginger?
After the vegetables have softened! But you can also add halfway through the vegetable cooking time if you prefer 🙂
TYSM! Just finished making (and eating) this and it was absolutely delicious and will be a regular rotation meal. No notes