Thai Green Fish Curry With Coconut Milk and Jasmine Rice

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 g) jasmine rice + 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water
• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) white fish fillets (cod, haddock, halibut), cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (canola, grapeseed, or avocado)
• 3 tbsp Thai green curry paste
• 1 (13.5 oz/400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk, shaken
• 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium fish stock or chicken stock
• 1 tbsp fish sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
• 8 oz (225 g) Thai eggplant, quartered
• 1 cup (100 g) bamboo shoots, drained
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves
• 1–2 tsp fresh lime juice, plus 4 lime wedges for serving
• Optional garnish: thinly sliced red chili, extra basil

Do This

• 1. Cook jasmine rice: rinse, then simmer 1 cup rice with 1 1/2 cups water, covered, 15 minutes; rest 10 minutes.
• 2. Warm oil in a pot over medium heat; fry green curry paste 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
• 3. Add coconut milk and stock; simmer 5 minutes, stirring until smooth.
• 4. Season with fish sauce and sugar; add eggplant, bamboo shoots, and bell pepper; simmer 6–8 minutes until tender-crisp.
• 5. Gently slide in fish; simmer 4–6 minutes just until opaque and flaky.
• 6. Turn off heat; stir in Thai basil and lime juice. Taste and adjust fish sauce/lime.
• 7. Serve curry over jasmine rice with lime wedges (and chili, if using).

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fast but special: a weeknight-friendly curry that tastes like it simmered all day.
• Delicate fish, bold sauce: tender white fish in a rich, fragrant coconut-green curry.
• Great textures: creamy sauce, tender Thai eggplant, crisp bamboo shoots, and fresh basil.
• Easy to customize: adjust heat, swap vegetables, or use shrimp or tofu.

Grocery List

• Produce: Thai eggplant (8 oz/225 g), red bell pepper (1), limes (2), Thai basil (1 small bunch), optional red chili (1)
• Dairy: none
• Pantry: jasmine rice, Thai green curry paste, full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz/400 ml), fish sauce, palm sugar or light brown sugar, bamboo shoots (1 can/jar), neutral oil, low-sodium fish stock or chicken stock

Full Ingredients

For the Jasmine Rice

• 1 cup (200 g) jasmine rice
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt (optional)

For the Green Curry

• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) white fish fillets (cod, haddock, halibut, or barramundi), skin removed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (canola, grapeseed, or avocado)
• 3 tbsp Thai green curry paste (store-bought is great)
• 1 (13.5 oz/400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk, well shaken
• 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium fish stock or chicken stock
• 1 tbsp fish sauce, plus 1–2 tsp more to taste
• 1 tbsp palm sugar (preferred) or packed light brown sugar
• 8 oz (225 g) Thai eggplant, quartered (or halved if very small)
• 1 cup (100 g) bamboo shoots, drained (thin strips are ideal)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1–2 tsp fresh lime juice (from about 1/2 lime), plus 4 lime wedges for serving

Optional Garnishes (Recommended)

• 1 red chili (Thai bird’s eye or Fresno), thinly sliced
• Extra Thai basil leaves

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and cook the jasmine rice

Rinse the jasmine rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cool running water for about 20–30 seconds (this helps keep the grains fluffy, not gummy). Add the rinsed rice to a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water and the optional 1/4 tsp salt.

Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat (keep covered) and let it steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and keep covered until serving.

Step 2: Prep the fish and vegetables

While the rice cooks, cut the fish into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces. Keep the pieces fairly uniform so they cook evenly. Quarter the Thai eggplants, drain the bamboo shoots, and thinly slice the red bell pepper.

Pick the Thai basil leaves from the stems. Cut limes into wedges for serving, and if using chili, slice it very thinly.

Step 3: Fry the curry paste to bloom the aromatics

Set a medium pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp neutral oil. When the oil shimmers, add the 3 tbsp green curry paste.

Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. You’re looking for the paste to darken slightly and smell very fragrant. This quick fry step is key for a curry that tastes rounded and restaurant-quality.

Step 4: Build the coconut curry sauce

Pour in the coconut milk and stir well to dissolve the curry paste into a smooth, pale-green sauce. Add the stock, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the flavors meld and the sauce thickens slightly.

Step 5: Season the sauce (sweet, salty, bright balance)

Stir in 1 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tbsp palm sugar (or light brown sugar). Let it simmer for 1 minute to fully dissolve the sugar.

Taste carefully (it will be hot). You should notice a balance of spicy, savory, and lightly sweet. You can adjust more at the end, but seasoning now helps the vegetables and fish absorb flavor.

Step 6: Simmer the vegetables until tender-crisp

Add the Thai eggplant, bamboo shoots, and red bell pepper. Keep the curry at a gentle simmer (avoid a hard boil).

Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the Thai eggplant is tender (a knife should slide in with only slight resistance) and the bell pepper still has a little bite.

Step 7: Gently cook the fish (no overcooking)

Lower the heat slightly so the curry stays at a gentle simmer. Carefully slide the fish pieces into the sauce in a single layer as much as possible. Use a spoon to lightly bathe the fish with sauce rather than stirring aggressively (fish can break apart).

Simmer for 4 to 6 minutes, depending on thickness, until the fish is just opaque and flakes easily. If you have an instant-read thermometer, aim for an internal temperature of 140°F to 145°F (60°C to 63°C).

Step 8: Finish with basil and lime, then serve

Turn off the heat. Stir in the Thai basil and 1 to 2 tsp fresh lime juice. Let the curry stand for 2 minutes so the basil wilts and perfumes the sauce.

Taste and adjust: add 1–2 tsp more fish sauce for saltiness, or a bit more lime for brightness. Serve hot over jasmine rice with lime wedges on the side. Garnish with sliced chili and extra basil if you like.

Pro Tips

• Keep it at a gentle simmer: coconut milk can split if boiled hard, and fish will toughen quickly.
• Choose the right fish: firm white fish (cod, halibut, haddock) holds together better than very delicate fillets.
• Adjust heat smartly: different curry pastes vary a lot. Start with 2 1/2 tbsp if you’re sensitive to heat, then add more after the sauce simmers.
• Don’t over-stir after adding fish: use a spoon to nudge pieces gently and spoon sauce over the top.
• Balance at the end: Thai-style curries often need a final tweak of salt (fish sauce), sweet (sugar), and acid (lime) right before serving.

Variations

• Shrimp green curry: swap fish for 1 1/4 lb (565 g) large shrimp. Simmer shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes until pink and just cooked through.
• Extra-vegetable curry: add 1 cup (100 g) green beans (2-inch pieces) or 2 cups (60 g) baby spinach (stir in at the end).
• Creamier, richer sauce: replace stock with an additional 1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut milk and reduce stock to 1/2 cup (120 ml).

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Because fish is delicate, reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat until just hot (aim for 165°F/74°C for food safety, but avoid prolonged simmering so the fish doesn’t dry out and break apart). Store rice separately for up to 4 days.

Make-ahead tip: prep the vegetables (slice pepper, quarter eggplant, drain bamboo shoots) up to 24 hours ahead and keep refrigerated. You can also simmer the curry sauce (without fish and basil) for 10 minutes, cool, refrigerate up to 2 days, then reheat gently and cook the fish fresh right before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, based on 4 servings including rice: 620 calories, 36 g protein, 70 g carbohydrates, 22 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 3 g fiber, 1,050 mg sodium.