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Halibut with Bok Choy, Makrut Lime Coconut Milk & Rice

This seared halibut with rice, coconut milk sauce, and bok choy has a vibrant flavor profile due to makrut lime leaves. Tomatoes bring a light sweetness.

  • Author: David (Doggy Daddy)
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 2 plates 1x
  • Category: dinner
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

Scale
  • Two 4-5 ounce halibut fillets
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1 large bok choy, quartered and cleaned
  • 2 inches leek, sliced
  • Grape tomatoes on stem
  • 1 can unsweetened coconut milk (with fat)
  • 1/4 cup coconut, shredded
  • 1/2 lime, juice and zest
  • 6 makrut lime leaves

Instructions

Prep

  1. Clean and dry the bok choy and tomatoes.
  2. Scale the halibut, if needed, pat dry.
  3. Heat oven to 350º.

Rice & Coconut Milk

  1. Bring 1.5 cups of water, 1 cup rice, 3 makrut lime leaves to a boil then cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. After, remove from heat for 10 minutes - keeping the lid on.
  2. Bring 1 can of coconut milk with most of the sliced leeks (save a pinch for garnish) and 3 makrut lime leaves to a light rolling boil and reduce until thickened, stirring in a squeeze of lime juice when it nears completion.

Coconut

  1. Sprinkle shredded coconut onto a baking sheet.
  2. Toast for 6 minutes or until browned and crisp, but not burnt.

Fish

  1. Heat two pans on medium-high.
  2. Add 2 tbsp. grapeseed oil to the fish pan and 1 tbsp oil to the bok choy pan.
  3. Season fish with salt and pepper on both sides.
  4. When the oil shimmers, place the fillets in the pan skin-side down.
  5. Cook for about 3 minutes per side then remove to rack.

Bok Choy & Tomatoes

  1. While the fish cooks, add the bok choy to the pan, heavy stocks first.
  2. Cook until seared on both sides and leaves are wilted.
  3. Add the tomatoes to the fish pan and char both sides.

Plate

  1. Place two large spoonfuls of rice in the center of the plate.
  2. Spoon some coconut milk on the rice.
  3. Place the tomatoes and a few leaves of bok choy to the side of the rice.
  4. Place the halibut on top of the rice.
  5. Sprinkle coconut on top of the fish then add some lime zest.

Notes

Be sure to use a quality unsweetened coconut milk such as "Thai Kitchen" that contains fat. It's more expensive but worth the price.

For an even creamier rice, cook the rice in coconut milk instead of water.

Keywords: halibut, makrut lime coconut milk sauce, grape tomatoes, seared bok choy