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Easy Red Curry Cod

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3 Ingredients, 1 Pan, and 20 minutes is all you need for an Easy Thai Red Curry Cod. Serve it with Rice or noodles for a complete meal.

White plate with rice and red curry sauce over it and a piece of cod.

I always have frozen fish on hand and of course, curry paste, which just so happens to make a great combo together. For this recipe, you can use any type of fish, but a firmer fish like Halibut, Salmon, or Mahi Mahi will hold together better. 

What Kind of Curry Paste To Use

Since we are using curry paste it’s important to be familiar with the different types of curry paste that are available.

The one I share in this recipe is the Mae Ploy brand, but I also use the Maseri Brand. I get both of these at my local Asian market or on Amazon. Both of these have a higher Spice level, so start off with 1 tablespoon or even half if you can’t tolerate too much spice.

Horizontal view of dish and a black skillet in the background.

Rule of Thumb- Always taste the curry after you add the coconut milk, and see if additional paste is needed or if you need to add fish sauce or sugar. I prefer the Mae Ploy brand because the seasoning is pretty robust and spicy. I ended up just adding some coconut sugar to balance it out.

The Ingredients

The Fish- I’m using frozen Cod for this recipe, or fresh Fish works too.  I let the fish defrost overnight in the fridge, then before I start cooking I place the thawed filets between 2 paper towels to absorb some extra moisture. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper before cooking. 

Coconut Milk– I always use Full Fat coconut milk in my curry since I like it creamy. If you want it to be lower in calories then use a light or reduced fat coconut milk. Give the can a good shake to get it incorporated.

Red Curry Paste– As I mentioned above, I’m using the Mae Ploy brand curry paste. I used 2 Tbs, and it was really spicy, but I enjoy it! So reduce the amount if you are unsure and you can always add more later. 

Optional Add In’s– This is a pretty basic recipe and it’s good as is, but feel free to add additional veggies. 

How to Cook Red Curry Cod

I’m using a large non-stick skillet for this recipe and one pan is all we are using. Have your pan at medium heat and spray a little cooking oil spray or a dash of oil. 

Rice, Curry, and Fish on a white plate with a black skillet in the background.

Place Cod fillets into the pan and cook for approximately 2 minutes per side. You want the cod to be white and not opaque. We are cooking it again in the curry sauce, so don’t over cook it. Remove filets and set aside on a plate.

Then add a tablespoon of oil to the same pan. I’m using coconut oil, but it’s not necessary. Over medium-low heat, add the curry paste to the oil in the pan and break it up with a spoon.

After about a minute add the entire can of coconut milk, increase heat to medium high, and stir until the curry paste dissolves. The milk and curry paste should be at a gentle boil. 

At this point you want to taste the curry. If it needs to be spicier then add more paste, otherwise you can add fish sauce or sugar to make it saltier or sweeter. 

Overhead view of Red Curry Cod on a white plate and a skillet to the side with more curry.

If adding veggies, do so after the coconut milk has been added and the pan is at a light boil. Allow them to cook till slightly softened.

Once you’ve made any adjustments to the curry and the flavor is when you want it, add the cod fillets back into the skillet and turn down the heat to low. Baste the fillets on top to get the curry sauce distributed.

I like to garnish with Thai Basil leaves and Makrut lime leaves, but if you don’t have any on hand then no worries. 

Serve with Thai Jasmine rice for an authentic meal or with cauliflower rice for a low carb meal. 

Try these other delicious Curry Recipes:

Yellow Curry with Chicken, Green Curry Shrimp, Red Curry Chicken.

Overhead view of red curry cod on a bed of white rice.

Easy Thai Red Curry Cod Recipe

Renee
3 Ingredients, 1 Pan, and 20 minutes is all you need for an Easy Thai Red Curry Cod.
5 from 8 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1-2 Tbsp Oil Divided, I use coconut oil.
  • 2 lbs Skinless Cod Patted dry, and seasoned with Salt/Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste If you are unsure on the spice level of the curry paste, start with half a tablespoon. You can always add more later.
  • 1 Can Coconut Milk
  • Optional garnish of Thai Basil or Makrut lime leaves
  • Rice for Serving

Instructions
 

  • For the fish, I used frozen Cod pieces, but any fish would work. Once thawed, place fish between 2 paper towels to absorb any moisture prior to cooking.
  • In a non stick skillet over medium heat, place a teaspoon of oil in the pan. Season the cod on both sides with salt and pepper, then place in the pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side (depending how thick the fish is). Remove fish and set aside.
  • Add a tablespoon of oil to the same pan over medium heat, and 1 tablespoon of curry paste. This is for mild-medium spice level, you can add more curry paste or Thai chili's to make it spicier. Allow the curry paste to fry in the oil and break it up with the back of a wooden spoon.
  • Add 1 can of coconut milk, bring to a simmer, and once curry paste is dissolved, taste and see if fish sauce or sugar is needed. I added a teaspoon of coconut sugar for some sweetness. At this point you can add some vegetables if you like and heat until warm.
  • Once seasoning is where you want it, add fish back into pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer for a 2 minutes to allow the fish to re-heat and absorb the curry.
  • Serve with your choice of rice and optional garnish of Thai Basil or Makrut lime leaves.

Video

Notes

The Fish Curry can be stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Reheat curry in the microwave or on the stove in a pan.
Yellow Curry with Chicken
Green Curry Shrimp
Red Curry with Kale and Sweet Potato

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 409kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 42gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 135mgPotassium: 1147mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 681IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 4mg

Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Keyword Red Curry Fish, Thai Red Curry Cod
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8 Comments

  1. Made this a few nights ago after having no idea what to do with the frozen cod in my freezer and searched red thai cod curry on a whim!

    Slight alterations I made: broke up the cod into small pieces, added a diced red bell pepper, a little garlic, ginger powder, and at the end stirred in some fresh coriander.

    The meal was absolutely delicious and lasted two days. I’ll definitely be making this again! ^-^

  2. Made this last night with 1lb of fresh cod. Added a red bell pepper, ginger and extra garlic. We like heat so I added a tablespoon of Sambal. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

  3. I made this, but I used green curry paste (my fave!) instead of red. It was easy to make and so good!! Honestly I was impressed with myself The fam loved it!

  4. Great recipe, simple and easy. 1 tbs of curry paste was not enough for me I used 7 tbs with jalapeños and red peppers! Thank you

    1. You like it spicy! What kind of curry paste did you use? I know the Thai Kitchen brand is very mild and I use almost the whole jar, however Mae Ploy and Maesri are much spicer and have better flavor.