Equipment
Ingredients
Fish
- 600 g whiting or cod fillets, cut into 5cm chunks
- 3 g salt
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 15 ml coconut oil
- 150 g yellow onion, diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 10 g ginger, minced
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, halved, seeds removed for less heat
- 150 g green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
- 150 g red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
Sauce Base
- 15 g jamaican curry powder
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 100 ml fish stock
- 5 g fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 15 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 412 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 431 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 22 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 65 mg
- Potassium
- 1161 mg
- Calcium
- 91 mg
- Iron
- 5.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 122 mg
- Phosphorus
- 465 mg
- Zinc
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 88 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 91 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.23 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.20 mg
- Niacin
- 4.8 mg
- Folate
- 57 mcg
- Water
- 332 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels. Cut them into 5cm chunks and season evenly with salt. Set aside while preparing the sauce.
Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, minced ginger, and scotch bonnet pepper. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
Sprinkle the Jamaican curry powder over the aromatics. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute until the spices are highly fragrant and slightly darkened. This blooms the spices and unlocks their flavor.
Pour in the coconut milk and fish stock, then add the fresh thyme sprigs. Stir well to dissolve the curry mixture into the liquids. Bring to a gentle simmer and let it reduce slightly for 5 minutes.
Stir the green and red bell peppers into the simmering sauce. Cook for 2 minutes to begin softening the peppers while retaining their crunch.
Gently nestle the seasoned fish chunks into the simmering sauce. Cover the skillet with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and poach gently at around 90 degrees Celsius or 195 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 7 minutes. Ensure internal temperature reaches 63 degrees Celsius or 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Discard the thyme sprigs and the scotch bonnet pepper half. Carefully drizzle the fresh lime juice over the top, give the pan a gentle shake to incorporate the acid, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Always bloom your curry powder in the hot oil. Raw curry powder will give the sauce a gritty, dusty flavor. Toasting it releases essential oils and deepens the complexity.
- When handling scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, wearing food-safe gloves is highly recommended. Avoid touching your eyes or face until your hands are thoroughly washed with soap.
- Whiting and cod are excellent, fast-cooking white fish. If substituting, choose another firm white fish to ensure it holds up reasonably well during the gentle poaching process.
- The acid at the end is crucial. Coconut milk and root vegetables like onion and ginger create a heavy, sweet profile. The lime juice provides a sharp contrast that makes the whole dish sing.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat gently to prevent overcooking the fish.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat until just warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Fish falls apart and becomes mushy in the sauce
Cause: The sauce was boiling too vigorously, or the pan was stirred too aggressively after the fish was added
Fix: Cannot be fixed texturally, but still tastes delicious. Spoon the sauce over the pieces.
Prevention: Maintain a gentle, barely bubbling simmer and avoid stirring once the fish goes into the pan
Sauce looks separated or grainy
Cause: The coconut milk was boiled at too high a temperature, causing the fat to separate from the water
Fix: Remove from heat and gently whisk a splash of cold water or a tiny bit more coconut milk into the sauce to help re-emulsify it slightly.
Prevention: Use full-fat coconut milk and keep the heat at a gentle simmer once it is added
Dish is overwhelmingly spicy
Cause: The scotch bonnet pepper released too much capsaicin, likely because seeds were left in or the pepper burst
Fix: Stir in a little extra coconut milk or a pinch of sugar to balance the heat. Serve with plenty of plain rice.
Prevention: Keep the pepper whole without scoring it for a mild background heat, or remove seeds and ribs carefully before use
Cultural Context
Jamaican curry powder is distinct from its South Asian ancestors, featuring a higher proportion of turmeric and allspice, which gives it a bright yellow hue and an earthy, slightly sweet warmth. The tradition of curry in the Caribbean stems from the arrival of East Indian indentured servants in the 19th century. Today, dishes like this are staples of island comfort food and are often featured as celebratory main courses during cultural holidays such as Kwanzaa.
