Equipment
Ingredients
Satay Marinade and Sauce
- 80 g creamy peanut butter, unsweetened
- 120 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 30 g red curry paste
- 30 ml soy sauce
- 15 ml fish sauce
- 30 ml lime juice
- 15 g brown sugar
- 3 garlic, minced
- 10 g fresh ginger, grated
Monkfish and Carrots
- 600 g monkfish tail fillets, membrane removed, cut into 4 equal portions
- 500 g carrots, peeled and cut into thumb-sized batons
- 30 ml coconut oil, melted
- 3 g salt
Garnish
- 30 g roasted peanuts, roughly crushed
- 10 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 10 g fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 501 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbohydrates
- 28 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Sodium
- 1146 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 15 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 38 mg
- Potassium
- 1436 mg
- Calcium
- 109 mg
- Iron
- 3.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 149 mg
- Phosphorus
- 546 mg
- Zinc
- 2.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1076 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 18 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 25 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.23 mg
- Niacin
- 7.5 mg
- Folate
- 63 mcg
- Water
- 289 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Whisk together the peanut butter, coconut milk, red curry paste, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, minced garlic, and grated ginger in a mixing bowl until completely smooth.
Transfer half of the satay sauce to a small saucepan and reserve for serving. Place the monkfish fillets in a separate dish and coat with the remaining half of the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Wash hands and surfaces thoroughly after handling raw fish to prevent cross-contamination.
Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the carrot batons with the melted coconut oil and salt in a bowl until evenly coated.
Spread the carrots in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes until they begin to soften and develop slight caramelization on the edges.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Nestle the marinated monkfish fillets among the partially roasted carrots. Discard any excess marinade left in the monkfish dish.
Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for an additional 12 to 15 minutes at 200 C (400 F), until the monkfish is opaque, firm to the touch, and reaches an internal temperature of 63 C (145 F).
While the fish finishes roasting, place the saucepan with the reserved satay sauce over medium-low heat. Simmer gently for 3 minutes until warmed through, stirring frequently.
Divide the roasted carrots and monkfish fillets among four warm plates. Drizzle generously with the warmed satay sauce.
Garnish each plate with the crushed roasted peanuts, fresh cilantro, fresh mint, and a wedge of lime to be squeezed over just before eating.
Chef's Notes
- Monkfish is often called poor man's lobster due to its dense, sweet, and firm meat. This robust texture allows it to stand up perfectly to bold, heavy sauces like satay without flaking apart.
- Reserving part of the marinade before it touches raw fish is a crucial food safety practice. Never reuse marinade that has been in contact with raw seafood without boiling it thoroughly.
- If your peanut butter is unsalted, you may need an extra pinch of salt in the marinade. Always taste your reserved sauce before warming it to adjust seasoning.
- Toasting your crushed peanuts lightly in a dry pan for two minutes right before garnishing will release their essential oils and maximize their crunch.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store fish and carrots separately from fresh herb garnish.
Reheating: Reheat gently in the oven at 150 C to avoid overcooking the fish.
Troubleshooting
Monkfish is unpleasantly tough, chewy, and rubbery.
Cause: The tough, transparent outer membrane was not removed before cooking, or the fish was roasted past 63 C (145 F).
Fix: Cannot be fixed once overcooked or if the membrane shrinks during cooking.
Prevention: Ask your fishmonger to completely skin and trim the monkfish tail, or use a sharp fillet knife to remove the thin greyish membrane yourself. Monitor internal temperature closely.
Satay sauce is too thick or split when warming.
Cause: Evaporation during simmering, or the coconut milk fat separated from high heat.
Fix: Whisk in a splash of warm water (15-30ml) vigorously off the heat until the emulsion comes back together.
Prevention: Warm the sauce gently over medium-low heat and do not let it boil vigorously.
Cultural Context
Satay originated in Indonesia, heavily influenced by Indian and Arab kebab traditions, and has since become a staple street food across Southeast Asia. While traditionally applied to skewered and charcoal-grilled meats, this dish adapts the iconic spiced peanut and coconut flavor profile into a modern oven-roasted preparation, highlighting the unique, robust qualities of monkfish.
