Thai Style Coconut Curry Salmon Rehabilitated to be Healthier

We are continually refining what we eat as new data comes out on what exactly is healthy.  This Thai style coconut curry salmon recipe is pretty simple based on the most recent trending study showing an increase in net caloric intake when foods are more processed.  There wasn't a lot of creativity in this recipe and you can easily reproduce it.    As always, we modify our recipes to be healthier, so be ready for some changes.  If you consider data that shows whole foods to be better you'll understand why we go for fewer salts etc.  I will probably never win husband of the year but I do think it is one of my charms that I make my wife's native flavors and rehab the recipes about because I want a healthy wife and care about her.

The Modifications I Made

I really didn't have to make many modifications to this recipe at all.  I just used a healthier oil, like canola.  You could go all in on the coconut flavor and use coconut oil if you want and aren't too worried about the saturated fat it brings.  It always goes back to knowing your situation, I have gotten fatter in my 40's, my fault mainly, but I need to modify what I eat more.  You can also use homemade red curry paste to cut down the amount of sodium and make sure your paste has fewer salts and preservatives.   Here is a recipe to do that if you don't want to use store-bought.

Homemade Thai Red Curry Paste

To be honest, I used the store bought, Mae Ploy paste as we just don't have time to be making our own paste as often as we cook.  As I mentioned above, we are trying to go with a more whole foods approach.  Sometimes that saves time because you just eat the banana rather than doing anything with it.  Making a paste takes time though so choose according to your needs.  If salt is a big issue and you are retired or something and have time, you may want to make your paste.

Preparations

Not to self-incriminate, but I just loosely went off the instructions of the Mae-ploy Thai red curry paste container, making some additional mods.  I asked Mod to pick up some salmon for me while she was at the store and 4 fillets were like $13 all said and done.  I know you can do better than that, we were just hurried.  You can also be more selective as far as taking care of the health of the stock of salmon by choosing according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Guide for Salmon.  They monitor for things like practices that could ruin the system basically, not to go into detail.   I also bought some Shallots, raw garlic cloves stripped of the skin, Thai basil cubes or just Thai basil and these amazing dried coconut meat strips.   You can get everything on here from most Asian markets.  ***  In Thailand they usually use holy basil like we use here but use whatever basil you can find.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. red curry paste
• 2 Thai holy basil cubes or 2 tbsp. basil leaves
  

  Thai Basil Cubes- Kra-Prao

• 4 salmon fillets-skin on or off
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil or canola oil if you need to watch the fat
• 2 cups lite coconut milk
• 2 cups whatever raw vegetables you like cut into small pieces
• ½ tbsp stevia
• ½ cup cleaned garlic cloves for garnish
• 1 shallot sliced for garnish
• coconut chips for garnish
  

  Coconut Chips

Instructions:

1.   Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet on medium-high.
2.   Stir-fry the curry paste in the oil until fragrant, using less for less spice.
3.   Add a cup of the lite coconut milk and stir to mix.
4.   Add the salmon, skin side down, if using it with skin on.
5.   Add the other cup lite coconut milk.
6.   Add the vegetables and stevia and stir until the veggies are soft.
7.  Taste and season by adding curry paste for spicier or adding coconut milk for less spicy.
8. Garnish-
   1. The Garnish- I went a bit fancier on the garnish by sauteing the sliced shallots and garlic in a little oil until almost burnt for a topping.  Sooo delish!
   2. You could additionally toast some raw coconut flakes or go fast and less healthy and buy them as I did.
9. Serve hot with a glass of red wine as a nice pairing, basting a little on the plate with extra sauce.

 

Printable Recipe Below

As always, we make our Thai recipes as healthy as possible.  Your situation is fact dependent, so what is healthy for me may not be healthy for you.  Always check with your doctor if you have concerns when in doubt check it out!   Our Thai recipes are an attempt to keep the Thai flavors as much as possible, modified to be healthier because we want to live longer and fitter.

If you love Thai style salmon recipes you might like some of these.

Panang Curry Salmon, Get your omega fatty acids with the full flavors of Thailand

Seared Thai Basil Salmon (ฺแซลมอนซอสกะเพรา)

3 Ingredient Baked Massaman Curry Salmon

Sweet Sriracha Salmon