Green Coconut Curry Poached Cod
The whole month of August feels like the Sunday of summer. ✨🕶️☀️🕶️✨
Time seemingly stands still in the heat of the sun and the farmer’s markets are filled with the final gifts of the farmer’s bounty. The beauty of nature is that it magically gives us exactly what we need to combat the sensations of irritability and agitation that can pop up as the nectar of the summer sun begins to fade. 🔥💦🔥💦
To help ease the transition of summer into September, seeking out the tastes of sweet, bitter and astringent can help keep you cool from the inside out. 😎😎😎
The sweet taste is considered to be strengthening, nutritive, energizing, tonic, and soothing to the mind. Sweet is beloved by all as it is considered to be the mother of all flavors. The very mention of sweet creates salivation in our mouths and feelings of comfort to our bodies as it is inherently linked to the elements of Pancha Mama: water and earth. In fact, the sweet taste is often used to enhance clarity and awareness in spiritual realms. 💫🌟💫
The bitter taste promotes sensations of clarity, introspection, self-awareness, as well as healthy detachment from worldly things. The taste of bitter from leafy greens and vegetables is connected to the elements of ether and air stimulates the nervous system, reduces fever and acts as an antibacterial and antiviral. 🧘✨🧘
The astringent taste helps keep us stable, unified, collected, grounded. Associated with the elements of air and earth, astringent tastes from herbs such as cilantro, parsley and basil helps reduce sweating, cools excess heat and acts as an anti-inflammatory. 🙏🌟🙏
My green coconut curry with poached cod is the perfect period to the end of the summer Sunday’s. The seeds of inspiration for this recipe were planted by the ingredients that can be found in Illuminate Food’s farm box this week. .🌱🚚💨✨
Green Coconut Curry Instructions:
Heat medium sauce pan on medium high heat and add water to the pan. Bring the water to a boil and stir in salt and rice. After adding the rice, the temperature of your water will drop significantly, and it'll stop boiling. Let it come back to a gentle simmer (otherwise you run the risk of your water cooking off faster than your rice gets tender). Cover the saucepan and reduce heat to low. Though it will be tempting, keep the lid on! You don't want to mess with the steam. Set a timer for 18 minutes and allow for the rice to simmer.
While rice is cooking, heat a cast iron, wok OR sauté pan on medium high heat. Add coconut oil and allow for the oil to melt, covering the surface of the pan. Sprinkle in fennel seeds, cumin, ginger powder, ground pepper and salt and allow for the spices to bloom in the fat of the oil for 5-10 seconds or until spices release their aroma.
Add chopped ginger, celery and jalapeño to the spiced oil and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until ingredients become tender. Add zucchini and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
Once all of the ingredients reach the desired tenderness, add the coconut milk and mix into the spices and vegetables. Add the chopped cilantro as well as the basil and chives, if using. Lower the heat to low and let simmer for 2-3 minutes or until herbs brighten and coconut milk begins to bubble. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Turn off heat for rice and keep the lid on to allow the rice to steam.
Add spiced coconut milk and sauted vegetable mixture to a blender. Mix until ingredients are well incorporated.
Pour green coconut curry into cast iron pan, wok OR saute pan. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer. Add cod fillets (OR tofu, if using) and turn the heat down to low. Cover and cook until cod is just cooked through and opaque, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool.
Fluff rice and serve into bowls or plates. Carefully remove the fish and drizzle on curry sauce.
Garnish with lime juice and cilantro
Green Coconut Curry Poached Cod Ingredients
(Serves 4):
3 cups water
2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed and soaked for 20 minutes
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, ground
2 teaspoons cumin, ground
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced
2 small zucchini, chopped
1 (13 1/2-ounce) cans coconut milk
1 cup cilantro, chopped + 2 tablespoons for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup basil, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup chives, chopped (optional)
4 (6-ounce) OR 2 lbs cod fillets or other flaky white fish
VEGETARIAN OPTION: 1 block of firm tofu
Lime wedges (from 1 lime), for serving