King Fish in Turmeric and Coconut Milk
This dish is very popular in our family. If not using king fish, we use a low-priced fish. The taste is just the same, but using king fish is much easier when eating. 😀
This dish uses the spice paste called ‘Sakurab’ which I have mentioned multiple times (for my old readers) that this comes from a root vegetable with the same family as the spring onions. The root vegetable used in this dish has stonger taste and smell compared to spring onions and they are have mostly the white part rather than the green. It is mixed with ginger and red chilis to finish the paste. Here’s how it looks:
This paste was made by my Aunt September last year (yeah, this paste has a long-life). She was one of my Aunts who was closest to our family. She made this especially for me. So you could say that this dish is quite special to me. We haven’t seen each other for seven years until last year. She passed away early this year. Like my Mom, she will always be special to me.
King Fish in Turmeric and Coconut Milk
Ingredients:
- 4 slices of king fish, cleaned and washed
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp of ‘sakurab/palapa’ paste
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- spring onions, for garnish
- salt, to taste
Instructions:
- In a cooking pot, saute onions and tomatoes in medium heat. Add the ‘sakurab/palapa’ paste.
- Add fish and coconut milk. Cook for 7 minutes.
- Add coconut cream. Let it boil for a few minutes. Add salt to taste. Turn off the heat.
- Add spring onions.
- Serve with white rice.
Notes:
Canned coconut milk/cream can be used.
If using fresh grated coconut, follow these steps:
- Prepare 3 bowls and strainer.
- Bowl 1: put 2 cups of grated coconut and 1 cup water. Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze until you get a very beautiful coconut cream.
- Get Bowl 2, top with the strainer, pour the coconut cream and squeeze until the coconut is dry. Set aside. Take note to save the used grated coconut. (This is coconut cream – thicker one)
- Now, you have the used grated coconut. Go back to Bowl 1 and put the used grated coconut and add 1 cup water and again, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze…
- Get Bowl 3, top with the strainer, pour the coconut milk and squeeze until the coconut is dry. (This is coconut milk – the thinner one)
- Now, you can throw the used grated coconut. Clearly, you have the coconut cream and milk in separate bowls. Set them aside.
Palapa or Sakurab paste can be substituted:
You will need:
- ½ cup white part of spring onion, sliced
- ¼ cup chopped ginger
- 2-3 bird’s eye chili (or add more if you want screaming spicy)
Put the ingredients for palapa in a food processor and pulse for 1 or 2 seconds. (Not longer than that because you are not making it to a full paste-like spices.) You can also use mortar and pestle for this or you can put them in a ziplock bag and pound. Set aside until ready to use.
This dish is best paired with rice. I don’t know the right words to describe the dish except that this is so tasty and will always be a favorite of mine.
I hope you enjoy all enjoy this dish. Have a lovely weekend to all. 🙂
I am also sharing this flavorful dish at
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47 Comments
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Take Two Tapas
I’m in love with the thought of making that palapa paste! I can see me using it on everything! My family is from the bahamas and we eat boiled fish for breakfast. It’s a soup with potatoes and onions. But the best part is a hot sauce called Old Sour. It’s made from sour orange juice, lime juice and Bahamian bird peppers. This reminds me of that and brings back so many memories! I still have a jar in my fridge because it lasts forever and I use it on my fish! Thanks for sharing with Saucy Saturdays!
Jhuls
Ohhh! Fish for breakfast sounds amazing! 😀 I would love to try that one day. The palapa paste seems like to last forever as well. Awesome, isn’t it?? Thanks a lot for stopping by. I hope you are having a fantastic time. 🙂 xx
Miss Dinie
King fish is a really meaty and flavoursome fish, well done on this recipe! I’m just wondering if I can find Sakurub in Chinese stores in the UK?
Jhuls
Hi, Miss Dinie. Hmm, I don’t think you can find Sakurab in the Chinese store as it is only well-known and widely used in the province areas in the Philippines. But I have mentioned on how to make substitute for that. Also in the notes. 😉 Thanks for stopping by and showing interest in a spice paste that is so dear to me. Have a lovely time. xx
Miss Dinie
Thanks!
Patty Nguyen
This looks so good, Jhuls. Will you make some for meeee?
Jhuls
Of course, Patty. 😉
Suchitra
What a nice and simple recipe this is! Your dish looks delicious. I am partial to fish and love kingfish. Thanks for sharing it. I have bookmarked the recipe.
Jhuls
Thank you, Su. I hope you will have the chance to make this. 🙂
hijackedbytwins
Oh wow this looks and sounds so delicious! I love using coconut products and I can just imagine how good this dish is x #recipeoftheweek
Jhuls
Ahh! The dish was so good. 😀 Thanks for stopping by, Kirsty. xx
petra08
The dish looks beautiful and sounds delicious! The colour is outstanding 🙂
Jhuls
Thank you so much, Petra. Glad you loved the dish. 🙂
Food Daydreaming
Making this dish must be quite emotional for you, but they say that’s the best kind of cooking, right? Sending you big hugs, Jhuls 🙂
Jhuls
It was, but it was nice to remember my aunt through her spices and cooking. Thanks for stopping by, Effie. 🙂 xx
Corina
This looks gorgeous! I think I’ve only had king fish once but it goes so well with a few spices.
Jhuls
King fish is one of my favorite. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
FrugalHausfrau
What a lovely tribute to your Aunt, and what a lovely dish!
Jhuls
Thank you so much. 🙂
milkandbun
Hope you had lovely Eid holiday, Jhuls! Fish looks very nice! 🙂
Jhuls
Hi, Mila. Sorry to be just responding. 😐 and thank you so much, I am glad you liked the dish. 🙂 Have a lovely time. xx
milkandbun
Hi Jhuls! No worries, I was away from blogging too.. 🙂
Cheers
Jhuls
Time management is all I need! 😀 Have fun this weekend! xx
Elaine @ foodbod
The sauce looks fab! Happy Eid honey X X X
Jhuls
Thank you, Elaine – for the visit and for the Eid wishes. I hope you are having a fantastic time. 🙂 xx
Liz @ spades, spatulas, and spoons
Hello Jhuls, this looks like a lovely way to serve fish. Am I missing something though? Your directions call for beef and potatoes??? I wonder if two recipes were somehow combined.
Jhuls
Ooops! That’s embarrassing. 🙁 Sorry for that, Liz. I’ve written this post when I was at the airport and completely forgot to edit that part. Thank you so much for noticing and for letting me know. It’s now updated, I guess. 😀 If you can’t see beef and potatoes, then it’s done. 🙂
Liz @ spades, spatulas, and spoons
Looks perfect now, I’ve pinned it. I’m always looking for new ways to serve fish. I love curried mussels and this is a nice adaptation.
Jhuls
Thanks, Liz. Editing/drafting a post using a phone is really a pain sometimes. 😐 Please let me know if you try it. Have a lovely week. 🙂
Jenny
This dish looks so delicious and comforting. Food is a way to connect with loved ones and to remember loved ones. Thank you for posting this!
Jhuls
I agree. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Jenny. I hope you are having a great time. xx
crendina
mmmh… this dish seems really flavorful…and the coconut milk brings an exotic touch! Great work, Jhuls!Hugs. Cris
Jhuls
I am happy to know that you liked the dish, Cris. And thanks for being here. Have a fun-filled week. 🙂 xx
Anjana @ At The Corner Of Happy & Harried
Jhuls, I love a good fish curry type dish. This reminds me of the Keralan fish moilee. Delicious!
Jhuls
I have to look for that dish and see how its done. 😉 Thanks, Anjana. Your cake will be a good dessert after eating this with white rice. 😀
nancyc
This sounds like a wonderful dish and I love how colorful it is!
Jhuls
I hope you think so, Nancy. Thank you for your time. Have a fab week. 🙂
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits
I’m sorry for your loss Jhuls. I know what its like to have an aunt that’s very close to you. I have an aunt who lived with my family for a while from the time I was born and I feel like she’s my second mom. This recipe looks incredible, the broth sounds so delicious and comforting.
Jhuls
She’s closer to my Mom and to my brother, but she had extended so much help to our family… So yeah, she was like a second Mom to us. Thank you for sharing your story, too. And thanks for stopping by. Have a lovely week and happy FF! 🙂
Kaila
Jhuls, I’m so glad that you are able to continue to enjoy this paste even after your aunt’s passing. It’s a great way to keep her close to you, and it sounds like she really meant a lot to you. I’m so sorry for your loss as well. On a brighter note, this dish looks fantastic. I love the bright colors and all the flavors. Happy FF, and I hope you have a fabulous weekend! 🙂
Jhuls
She was one of the aunts who took care of me when I was young and she was very close to us. She was there when my Mom needed advice or any help. Ahhh! They were really close. I miss them both. 🙁 Anyway… thank you, Kaila! Glad you liked the dish. Hope you are having a good time. Happy FF! xx
Julie is Hostess At Heart
Jhuls, this dish looks so flavorful and beautiful with it’s colors. Coconut milk is so good together. A perfect dish! Happy FF.
Jhuls
Thank you, Julie. And belated happy birthday. Happy FF! 🙂 xx
Lynz Real Cooking
Wow this looks so wonderful! It sounds like an amazing dish with different flavors! yumm
Jhuls
Thank you, Lynz. I love this dish so much. I hope you are enjoying the weekend. 🙂
Lynz Real Cooking
It is truly beautiful!!