Quick Fish Curry with Coconut Milk & Lemongrass

Name: Quick Fish Curry with Coconut Milk & Lemongrass
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 280g cod loin; 1 onion; 2-3 garlic cloves; 1 lemongrass stick; 1 tbsp mild curry powder; sunflower oil; 400ml coconut milk; large handful of fresh spinach; 1 cup basmati rice; diced spring onion, to serve; 1/2 lime, to serve; fresh or dried chillies, to serve; coriander, to serve

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

If you're looking for a simple, flavourful fish curry recipe that is easy enough to make on a weeknight look no further than this Quick Fish Curry with Coconut Milk and Lemongrass! Ready in just 20 minutes and served with a side of fluffy, herby rice this healthy coconut fish curry recipe is sure to make your regular rotation.

White shallow casserole dish with a fish and spinach curry next to serving bowls and a bowl of herbed rice.

A metal serving dish of cod curry with coriander rice next to a bowl of dried chilli flakes.

There are so many things to love about this simple Indian-inspired fish curry with coconut milk. It's aromatic, creamy yet dairy free. It's packed with veggies like onions and fresh spinach, but barely involves any chopping compared to other curry recipes out there.

And because it is made with a couple of pieces of tender, flaky cod loin (or whatever sustainable fish you have available) it is a healthy dinner option too.

Ingredients

cod loin (or any other thick, flaky white fish that is sustainably sourced where you live, hake works really well in this recipe too. And I know we said white fish, but trout and salmon would also be amazing here too. Looking for the Marine Stewardship Council mark is a good start checking local sustainability.)
onion
garlic cloves
lemongrass stick
medium curry powder (this recipe is quite flexible, just use whatever blend you usually use)
sunflower oil (or any other neutral oil with a high smoking point)
coconut milk
fresh spinach (you could substitute with thawed, frozen spinach if you don't have any fresh to hand)
basmati rice
spring onion (for serving)
lime wedges (for serving)
chilli (fresh sliced or dried chilli flakes would both be delicious sprinkled over the top of this curry!)
fresh coriander (be generous with it!!)

Saucepan of herby rice on top of a blue and white striped tea towel.

Making The Perfect Herby Rice

If we may say so ourselves, we think this method for cooking basmati rice is brilliant, yielding perfectly cooked, fluffy and tender rice every time. We've added fresh coriander here for freshness and to compliment the curry, but feel free to add whatever herbs suit what you're serving it with.

A few more dishes this herby rice would be delicious with:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I scale or halve this fish curry recipe?

Yes! Feel free to double or halve the recipe -- you can't reheat a fish curry, so I wanted this recipe to only feed two and be easily halved so you don't have any leftovers.

Can I use a curry paste instead of a curry powder?

With the onion base, lemongrass, garlic and coconut milk a Thai-style curry paste would be delicious here. Use 3 tbsp, and season to taste with fish sauce (for saltiness) and lime juice (for freshness) as every brand and variety is seasoned differently.

I find fresh lemongrass really tricky to chop, can I use lemongrass paste instead?

The key is to discard the super tough bits and use a very, very sharp knife! But if you'd prefer to use a paste stir it into the onions just before you add the coconut milk. Brands vary in strength, so check the jar for the right amount to use for 1 lemongrass stick.