Equipment
Ingredients
Base and Aromatics
- 15 g coconut oil
- 50 g thai green curry paste
- 300 g sushi rice, rinsed until water runs clear
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk, shaken well
- 200 ml water
Proteins and Produce
- 450 g salmon fillet, skinless, cut into 3cm cubes
- 100 g baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 40 g scallion, thinly sliced
- 15 g cilantro, roughly chopped, stems included
- 15 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 825 kcal
- Protein
- 37 g
- Carbohydrates
- 72 g
- Fat
- 56 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 2888 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 22 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 539 mg
- Calcium
- 382 mg
- Iron
- 18.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 433 mg
- Phosphorus
- 531 mg
- Zinc
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 467 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 17 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 153 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 2.1 mg
- Folate
- 76 mcg
- Water
- 172 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the sushi rice in a fine mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs completely clear. Set aside to drain well.
Using a clean cutting board and chef knife, cut the skinless salmon fillets into 3cm cubes. Immediately wash your hands, the knife, and the board with hot soapy water to prevent cross-contamination.
Heat the coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the Thai green curry paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until highly fragrant and the oils begin to separate slightly.
Add the rinsed sushi rice to the Dutch oven, stirring with a spatula to coat the grains entirely in the curry paste. Pour in the full-fat coconut milk and water. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer undisturbed for 12 minutes to allow the rice to absorb most of the liquid.
Remove the lid and carefully arrange the raw salmon cubes in an even layer on top of the partially cooked rice. Replace the lid and continue to cook on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the salmon is fully opaque and reaches a safe internal temperature of 63C/145F.
Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Carefully add the chopped baby spinach, sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, and fresh lime juice. Gently fold the greens into the hot rice and salmon mixture. The residual heat will wilt the spinach and warm the herbs without overcooking them.
Divide the vibrant, creamy green curry salmon and rice among four warm shallow bowls and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Always rinse sushi rice thoroughly to remove excess surface starch. Skipping this step will result in an unpleasantly gummy and dense final texture.
- Sushi rice is a short-grain variety that absorbs liquid differently than long-grain varieties like jasmine or basmati. If substituting with jasmine rice, reduce the total liquid by about 50ml to prevent a mushy outcome.
- When handling raw salmon, always utilize a dedicated cutting board and immediately sanitize your hands, knives, and prep surfaces to eliminate any risk of cross-contamination.
- Full-fat coconut milk is essential for this recipe. The fat content coats the rice grains, prevents sticking, and perfectly buffers the sharp, aromatic heat of the green curry paste.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The rice will continue to absorb liquid and may thicken.
Freezer: 1 month — Freezing is possible but may slightly degrade the texture of the salmon and spinach.
Reheating: Microwave gently with a splash of water to rehydrate the rice, or warm in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Troubleshooting
Rice is hard or undercooked while liquid is completely absorbed
Cause: Heat was too high during simmering, causing premature evaporation, or the lid let too much steam escape
Fix: Stir in 60ml of boiling water, replace the lid securely, and steam on lowest heat for an additional 5 minutes
Prevention: Use the lowest possible burner setting and ensure your Dutch oven lid seals tightly
Salmon is broken and mushy in the final dish
Cause: Overmixing during the final step when folding in the greens
Fix: Cannot be fixed aesthetically, but flavor and safety remain unaffected
Prevention: Use a wide spatula and fold from the bottom up in broad, gentle motions
Cultural Context
Green curry, known as kaeng khiao wan, originates from Central Thailand and derives its vibrant color and pungency from fresh green chilies, lemongrass, and makrut lime. By merging these traditional Thai aromatics with Japanese short-grain sushi rice in a one-pot cooking method, this dish represents a modern, cross-cultural approach to weeknight comfort food.
