Easy Thai Coconut Sauce Recipe (with Wild Halibut & More)
This easy, delicious Coconut Sauce recipe pairs perfectly with fish or other protein, veggies, and your choice of rice. It’s easy to prepare and makes any dish flavorful and satisfying. It’s so good you’ll want to make a double batch!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups full-fat coconut milk usually a full can’s worth
- ¾ cup fish stock chicken stock or bottled clam juice
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons fish sauce
- a little heat: a pinch of crushed red pepper 1 Tablespoon of minced fresh chili pepper or a little Siracha sauce
- 6 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems divided
- 6 Tablespoons finely chopped green onions divided
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 6 wild halibut fillets about 4-6 ounces each (or mahi-mahi or true cod fillets)
Instructions
- Prepare a broiler pan or place a metal rack inside a baking sheet. (You can also grill the fish.)
- In a large skillet, combine coconut milk, stock, lime juice, ginger, garlic, fish sauce and chili peppers. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until sauce has thickened slightly and equals about 1 cup to 1 ¼ cup, about 10 minutes. If you use a smaller skillet, it will take longer; a larger skillet, less time. Stir in half the cilantro and half the green onions. Season with sea salt and pepper.
- Position an oven rack on the second level from the top. Preheat broiler to medium or medium-high. Brush each piece of fish all over with 1 Tablespoon of sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover sauce to keep warm.
- Broil fish until it starts to flake and is opaque in center, about 3-5 minutes on each side, depending on thickness of the fish. Divide fish and sauce among 6 plates. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and green onions. Serve.
Notes
Recipe Tips
-I buy fish stock in the freezer section of Whole Foods. Some markets make it in-house and you might find it frozen in the seafood department or with other frozen stocks in the freezer section. -There are times when I don't have the exact ingredients. It's ok to substitute! Rice vinegar can sometimes work for fresh lime juice, soy sauce, or tamari for fish sauce (definitely not the same, but it's fine in a pinch), omit the cilantro if you dislike it, and sub mint or fresh basil. -I love this dish over jasmine rice or cauliflower rice with a simple green vegetable on the site, like snap peas or asparagus. You use your favorite rice (any white rice, brown rice, or quinoa would work) and your favorite roasted veggies. Serving & Storage Tips
-Serve your protein drizzled with extra coconut sauce and garnish with cilantro, basil, and lime wedges if you’d like. Double the recipe if you want more for dipping or to pour over your rice and veggies. If you have leftovers, store the sauce in an airtight container for up to a week. -If you have leftover halibut (or another protein) store it in an airtight container (separate from the sauce) for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the air fryer or stovetop for 2-3 minutes until warmed through and serve with the sauce.
-I buy fish stock in the freezer section of Whole Foods. Some markets make it in-house and you might find it frozen in the seafood department or with other frozen stocks in the freezer section. -There are times when I don't have the exact ingredients. It's ok to substitute! Rice vinegar can sometimes work for fresh lime juice, soy sauce, or tamari for fish sauce (definitely not the same, but it's fine in a pinch), omit the cilantro if you dislike it, and sub mint or fresh basil. -I love this dish over jasmine rice or cauliflower rice with a simple green vegetable on the site, like snap peas or asparagus. You use your favorite rice (any white rice, brown rice, or quinoa would work) and your favorite roasted veggies. Serving & Storage Tips
-Serve your protein drizzled with extra coconut sauce and garnish with cilantro, basil, and lime wedges if you’d like. Double the recipe if you want more for dipping or to pour over your rice and veggies. If you have leftovers, store the sauce in an airtight container for up to a week. -If you have leftover halibut (or another protein) store it in an airtight container (separate from the sauce) for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the air fryer or stovetop for 2-3 minutes until warmed through and serve with the sauce.