Curry can go with any protein, even tofu. I just decided for this Foodie Friday recipe to tackle the challenge of trying to get fish to hold together through the cooking process.

Coconut Curry Cod (prep. time about 15 minutes. Serves 2. Chicken, shrimp or pork could be substituted for the fish)

2 C. cooked rice

1 lb. cod or other firm, white fish

¼ C. flour (or cornstarch to make gluten-free)

2 Tb. curry powder.

½ can coconut milk (about 6 to 7 ounces)

1 thinly sliced chili pepper (Thai or milder to taste. I used aFresno pepper. medium-hot)

¼ tsp. each mace, nutmeg and tumeric

1 tsp. cumin

1 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

½ onion thinly sliced

slivered almonds

salt & pepper

2 Tb. olive oil

1 tsp. butter

1 Tb. honey (or sugar)

Stir the slivered almonds into the cooked rice and set aside.  Pat the fish dry. Salt and pepper both sides and cut into bite-size cubes. Blend tumeric into the flour and dredge the code in the mixture (skip the flour step if you are using anything but fish since this step is purely to keep the fish from falling apart when cooked and stirred into the curry). Very lightly oil a saute pan or grill pan by wiping the oil on the surface with a paper towel. Heat on high and sear the fish on all sides until brown.  Set aside.

Heat medium sauté pan over medium-high and add spices to the dry pan for about a minute to bloom the fragrance and flavors. Add 1 tsp. butter and 1 Tb. olive oil to pan. Stir in onion & garlic. Cook until the onions are tender. Don’t let the garlic get brown.

Stir in hot peppers. Add fish and toss to coat. Gently stir in the coconut milk. Add in honey, a little at a time to desired sweetness.  Adjust salt, pepper and curry to taste.

Serve with the almond rice and Naan (Indian flat bread), if you like.

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