If you’re a fan of Thai flavours, you’re going to love this Coconut Crusted Thai Curry Sea Bass. The fish is marinated in good-quality, shop-bought Thai red curry paste, before being encased in a coconut crust and fried to golden perfection. Served alongside a zingy cabbage slaw, it makes for a very delicious, balanced meal.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients Breakdown
- Not All Curry Pastes Are Created Equal
- Don’t Burn the Coconut!
- Sea Bass Substitutions
- The Slaw: Optional but Recommended
- Want More Fish Recipes?
Ingredients Breakdown
To whip up this Coconut Crusted Thai Curry Sea Bass, you’ll need the following ingredients.
- Sea Bass Fillets: Look for fresh, firm fillets with no fishy odour.
- Desiccated Coconut: Make sure you use the unsweetened variety. It provides a perfect crunch without being overwhelmingly sweet.
- Thai Curry Paste: This is where most of your flavour is coming from so you want to choose a good-quality, authentic one. More on this below.
- Cornstarch: Using cornstarch instead of plain flour keeps this recipe gluten-free.
- Eggs: This is what the desiccated coconut will adhere to, so make sure there aren’t any bare spots when coating your fish.
Not All Curry Pastes Are Created Equal
The Thai curry paste is the flavour backbone of this dish so you want to make sure you’re using a high-quality one. My favourites are Mae Ploy and Thai Taste. If you don’t have access to these brands, here’s a few tips on buying the best one.
- Check the Ingredients: Look for curry pastes made with authentic Thai ingredients like lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and shrimp paste.
- Avoid Artificial Additives: where possible, avoid curry pastes that contain artificial flavours and/or preservatives. Opt for ones with natural ingredients instead.
- Consider Spice Level: Thai curry pastes come in varying spice levels, from mild to extra spicy. Choose according to your preference, keeping in mind the heat tolerance of your guests if you’re serving a crowd.
Don’t Burn the Coconut!
Though this recipe is very straightforward, there is a danger of burning the coconut. Here’s how to get that crispy coconut crust just right.
- Even Coating: Ensure the sea bass fillets are evenly coated with the desiccated coconut. This helps in achieving a uniform crust that crisps up beautifully.
- Low and Slow: When frying the fish, use a medium/medium-low heat instead of high heat. This allows the coconut crust to cook slowly and evenly without burning.
- Patience is Key: Resist the urge to flip the fillets too soon. Let them cook undisturbed for a few minutes on each side until the coconut crust turns a golden brown.
- Monitor Closely: Keep a close eye on the fish while it’s frying to prevent the coconut from burning. You may need to adjust the heat as needed.
Sea Bass Substitutions
If sea bass isn’t readily available, don’t worry! You can easily substitute it with other firm-fleshed fish such as:
- Cod: Known for its mild flavour and flaky texture, cod is a popular alternative to sea bass.
- Halibut: Another firm-fleshed fish, halibut holds up well to frying and pairs beautifully with Thai flavours.
- Snapper: With its slightly sweet flavour and firm texture, snapper is an excellent choice for this dish.
Just make sure that you pound whatever fish you’re using to the thickness of a sea bass fillet to ensure it cooks at the same rate as the coconut crust does.
The Slaw: Optional but Recommended
The zingy cabbage slaw is optional but highly recommended. Its bright, tangy flavour provides a refreshing contrast to the richness of the fried Coconut Crusted Thai Curry Sea Bass. Also, the crunch of the slaw adds another layer of texture, which makes for a great eating experience.
Want More Fish Recipes?
I’ve been sharing lots of delicious fish recipes on my Instagram and TikTok in a series I’ve called Fantastic Fish. If you love this recipe, why not try some of the others in the series?
- Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice: This recipe combines crispy sushi rice cakes with homemade spicy tuna and avocado. The contrast of textures between the crispy rice and tuna is delightful and all the flavours work so well together.
- Monkfish Curry: Monkfish is simmered in a rich, flavour-packed sauce, perfumed with curry leaves, coconut milk, tomatoes and warm spices.
- Roasted Salmon with Curry Leaf Butter: Roasted salmon, topped with a delicious 3-ingredient curry leaf butter.
Coconut-Crusted Thai Curry Sea Bass
If you’re a fan of Thai flavours, you’re going to love this Coconut-Crusted Thai Curry Sea Bass. The fish is marinated in good-quality, shop-bought Thai red curry paste, before being encased in a coconut crust and fried to golden perfection. Served alongside a zingy cabbage slaw, it makes for a very delicious, balanced meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For the sea bass:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)
- 2 tsp good-quality Thai red curry paste (see Notes)
- 4 sea bass fillets (see Notes for substitutes)
- 150g cornflour (cornstarch)
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 150g unsweetened desiccated coconut
- vegetable oil, or any neutral oil (for shallow frying)
For the slaw:
- 150g cabbage, very thinly sliced
- 50g green beans, trimmed, very thinly sliced
- small handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- ½ green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- ½ lime, juiced
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tbsp sugar (or more, to taste)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the vegetable oil and thai red curry paste until well-incorporated. Add the sea bass fillets and toss well to coat. Marinate for 15 minutes (alternatively, you can marinate the sea bass up to a day in advance and store it in the fridge).
- Meanwhile, place the slaw ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss well to combine. Your hands are your best tools – use them to massage the dressing into the vegetables. Refrigerate while you go back to the fish.
- Place the cornflour and eggs in two separate shallow bowls and season well with salt and pepper. Place the unsweetened desiccated coconut in a third bowl.
- Dredge the sea bass fillets in the cornflour, then the egg, then the desiccated coconut, pressing to ensure they’re fully and evenly coated.
- Heat a big glug of vegetable oil in a large frying pan set over a medium/medium-low heat (the heat level is important as you don’t want the coconut to burn). The oil should be about an inch deep.
- Cook the sea bass until golden on both sides and cooked all the way through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack or kitchen towel to drain.
- Plate up the sea bass with a generous amount of slaw on the side then serve and enjoy.
- Alternative cooking method: You can drizzle the fish with oil and roast or air fry it at 200℃ for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked and the crust is browned. That said, I do not recommend this method as the coconut crust will brown very unevenly and may dry out, which isn’t pleasant to eat.
Notes
- You can substitute the sea bass for another firm-fleshed fish such as cod, halibut or snapper. Just make sure that you pound whatever fish you’re using to the thickness of a sea bass fillet to ensure it cooks at the same rate as the coconut crust does.
- My favourite Thai curry paste brands are Mae Ploy and Thai Taste. Where possible, avoid using supermarket-own brands.
Fish was bomb and so was the salad. I don’t know why but I removed some Thai paste off the fish because I thought it would burn. Don’t do that- it contributes to the flavour of the dish. I couldn’t find fillets so I had to bash up some thicker fish pieces but I should’ve made them thinner I suppose. Will 100% make it again
I’m so glad you’re willing to make it again 🙂