Thai Coconut Red Curry with Lake Taupō Rainbow Trout
Thai curry pastes combine dried red chillies, lemongrass, galangal, shrimp paste, and aromatic roots. Coconut cream softens the heat and carries shredded makrut lime leaf through the sauce. Lake Taupō rainbow trout has a mild, moderately oily texture that holds large flakes in a gentle simmer. The fish is cut into thick chunks, added to the bubbling sauce for five to seven minutes, and served over steamed jasmine rice with snake beans, bamboo shoots, and crisp fried shallots.
Ingredient List
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4
The Fish
- 600g Lake Taupō rainbow trout fillets: Skin off, pin bones removed, cut into 4cm chunks
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
The Red Curry Sauce
- 400ml canned coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- ¾ cup chicken stock or water
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
- 2 makrut lime leaves, centre vein removed, cut into very thin strips
- 1 tablespoon reserved shallot oil
The Vegetables and Serving
- 100g snake beans, cut into 4cm lengths
- 1 can bamboo shoots, drained, about 220g
- 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- 4 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ cup neutral oil, for frying shallots
- 1½ cups jasmine rice
- 1¾ cups water
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Preparation and Cooking Method
1. Cook the Jasmine Rice
Put the jasmine rice in a sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain for 1 minute. Place the rice and 1¾ cups water in a pot with a tight lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to the lowest simmer, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time. Fluff with a fork before serving.
2. Fry the Shallots
Heat ½ cup neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and stir to separate the rings. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until the shallots turn light golden. Remove them with a slotted spoon and spread on paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the oil for the curry.
3. Build the Curry Base
Set a wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the reserved shallot oil. When it shimmers, add the red curry paste. Stir and cook for 90 seconds, until the paste darkens and smells sharp. Pour in ½ cup of the coconut cream and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until the cream thickens and small beads of oil appear around the paste.
4. Simmer the Sauce
Add the remaining coconut cream, stock or water, fish sauce, palm sugar, and shredded makrut lime leaves. Stir until the palm sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the bamboo shoots and snake beans. Simmer uncovered for 3 minutes so the beans soften but still snap.
5. Poach the Trout
Season the trout chunks with the salt. Lay the fish in the sauce in a single layer. Spoon some sauce over the top of each chunk. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and poach for 5 to 7 minutes. The sauce should barely bubble. Check after 5 minutes; the thickest chunk should flake when pressed. Do not stir the pot, or the trout will break into strands. When the fish is just opaque, add the sliced chilli and Thai basil leaves. Cover and leave for 30 seconds so the basil wilts. Remove from heat.
6. Plate
Divide the jasmine rice among four wide bowls. Ladle the curry, vegetables, and trout chunks beside the rice. Scatter the crispy shallots over the top. Serve with lime wedges so each person can squeeze juice over the bowl.
Chef’s Notes for Success
- Curry paste choice: Mae Ploy red curry paste is saltier than Maesri. Start with 1½ tablespoons if using Mae Ploy and add more after tasting the finished sauce.
- Fish handling: Keep the trout chunks at one thickness so they finish at the same time. Thin tail pieces cook faster than thick head-end pieces.
- Simmer level: A rolling boil will break the trout and split the coconut cream. Look for small bubbles at the edges, not a froth in the centre.
- Snake beans: If snake beans are not available, use green beans and add 2 minutes to the first simmer before the fish goes in.
- Makrut lime leaves: Cut the leaves very thin so no fibrous pieces remain. The centre vein is tough and should be pulled out first.
- Shallot colour: Pull the fried shallots when light golden. They continue browning on the paper towel and turn bitter if fried to deep brown.
Lake Taupō Charters
Morning charters on Lake Taupō work the river mouths and deep drop-offs where rainbow trout in the 500 to 700g range hold. Fish of that size yield firm fillets that poach in coconut curry without falling into strands. We clean and ice your catch on board before you leave the boat. Rods, tackle, and cleaning stations are included.
Book your charter at greatlakefishingtours.club. Bring a cooler so your trout stays at 4°C or below on the drive to the kitchen. Cold fish holds its shape in the curry.
