sev

Laksa-inspired coconut fish stew

Inspired by:

http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/3357332.html
a filet of halibut (cooked more than Nancy intended, but exactly as much as Z likes)
http://www.laksa.com/recipes.html, but adjusted significantly to match what I happen to have on hand

Spice Paste:

6 shallots
6 cloves garlic
2T cashew butter
2T ginger-juice
3T diced Anaheim peppers
1t flaked bonito
1t olive oil
Prepared curry powder, 1t

Fish Gravy:

Spice paste
1 14oz can coconut milk
14oz water
2T white miso
½ filet baked halibut, crumbled

Also:

Rice noodles, prepared according to package (soaked in boiling water, in the case of the ones I use)

Pretty things that are also yummy:

Sliced summer squash, sautéed in hot olive oil, just long enough to get slightly brown, tossed with herbed sea salt
Quartered crimini mushrooms, tumbled in tamari and briefly sautéed in olive oil
Yin-yang carrots

Grind first six ingredients until it’s a chunky paste, and stir in olive oil and curry powder. Heat at least 2T olive oil in a 4qt heavy-bottomed pot. Add paste and cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently.

Pour in can of coconut milk, water, and miso. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until well-combined. Dump in crumbled halibut, reduce heat, simmer until heated through.

To serve, put noodles in bowl. Ladle fish gravy over noodles. Put pretty yummy things on top. Apologize to partner for making an extraordinary mess of the kitchen, and be thoroughly forgiven due in part to the yumminess of dinner.

For some reason, this was exactly what I needed this evening. (It's Batgirl stew!)