Today’s sea bass curry recipe brings you a satisfying main course with a rich creamy curry sauce and savory sea bass, ready in just thirty minutes.
Is Sea Bass Curry Healthy?
Yes, our sea bass curry is healthy. Here’s why:
First, sea bass is listed among the 12 healthiest fish to eat, according to Healthline. And as it’s the main ingredient in our recipe, one serving of this dish will give you an impressive 34 g of protein. Besides, sea bass is also rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin D and potassium.
Moreover, compared to many other rich curry dishes, this recipe is much healthier since we have moderated the amount of each ingredient to make sure the nutritional values of the dish follow the 2020 – 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Specifically, our dish contains around 500 calories, less than 7 g saturated fats, and is below 600 mg sodium.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the ingredients.
Ingredients You'll Need
Our curry calls for sea bass fillets as the main protein and a creamy curry sauce for a burst of flavors. Get these two things right and you’ll easily knock up a delish dish. Let’s take a look.
- Sea Bass
Popular for its firm texture and delicate flavor, sea bass has featured in many fine recipes.
For the best results, choose fresh skin-on boneless fillets that have a bright, firm flesh without any odor. You can, however, still go with frozen ones for convenience—just remember to let them thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.
- Curry Sauce
Right, how could our dish be complete without a luscious curry sauce? This Southeast Asian style curry combines chicken broth, coconut milk, and diced tomatoes with different spices and herbs for a rich creamy yellow sauce that tastes like a dream.
And what is that dream made of? A delicious medley of piquant and savory flavors with a slight hint of sweetness.
It’s the ginger, lemongrass, chili powder, paprika, and red jalapeños that bring extra warmth, while other spices, such as onion, garlic, pepper, turmeric, Dijon mustard, and cumin add a pungent kick to our mix.
For a pleasant savory taste, we add chicken broth and a little fish sauce; these umami flavors will work wonders for the sauce. At the same time, coconut milk adds to the sweetness and helps thicken our curry.
We also add half a tablespoon of zesty lime juice and some fresh cilantro to brighten up the overall taste.
How to Thicken Curry
You can let your curry simmer until it reaches the desired consistency or add extra cornstarch and flour to thicken it.
Storage and Reheating
You can keep the leftover curry and fish fillets in separate airtight containers in the fridge. They should keep for 2 to 3 days.
For reheating, put the fish and the curry into a skillet over low or medium heat, bring to a boil, then cook for 1 more minute before serving.
Side Dishes
Here are our recommendations for fantastic sides to pair with our sea bass curry:
- Scotch egg
- Shirred Eggs Recipe
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Recipe
- Sautéed Cauliflower Recipe
- Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe
How to Make Sea Bass Curry
This sea bass curry recipe takes up only 30 minutes but will give you an extra delicious dish with rich creamy curry and savory fillets to satiate your taste buds.
- cook TIME 20 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 30 mins
- COURSE Main Course
- CUISINE Asian
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 507 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 22 oz skin-on boneless sea bass fillets
- 4 oz onion (diced)
- 2 1/2 tbsp canola oil (divided to 1 tbsp, 1 1/2 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 1/2 tbsp ginger (chopped)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 oz tomatoes (diced)
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp lemon grass (chopped)
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 2 tsp traditional Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp Thai fish sauce
- 0.5 oz red jalapeño (sliced)
- 2 tbsp scallions (cut into thin strips)
- 3 cups cooked medium-grain white rice (from 1 1/2 cups uncooked)
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep:
Get the leftover bones out of the sea bass: There is no need to wash the fillets if you purchase them in a package. Just touch the flesh to see if there are any tiny leftover bones, then use a tweezer to pluck them out.
Cook the rice: Rinse the rice with clean water. Gently massage to remove any debris or excess starch. Change the water a few times until it becomes clear, then drain it out. After that, cook the rice using a rice cooker or an instant pot.
Mince the garlic: Separate the cloves from the bulb and peel the skin off. Use a knife to slice each entire clove lengthwise, then hold the clove and turn 90 degrees to slice it crosswise. Keep mincing each clove to make tiny pieces.
Chop the ginger: separate the knobs and slice away the skin with a knife. Cut the knobs into thin slices. Stack the slices up and slice them into thin strips. Rotate the strips 90 degrees, then cut them into tiny cubes.
Dice the onion: Half the onion lengthwise and peel the skin. Make vertical slices 1/8" apart from each other towards the root, but stop about 1/8" from the root. Turn the half 90 degrees laterally and grip the root. From the bottom, make horizontal cuts 1/8" apart from each other into the onion, also stopping 1/8" from the root . Now slice the onion to produce even cubes.
Dice the tomato: Half the tomato lengthwise, slice to remove the stem, and scoop the seeds out. Cut each half into 1/4" strips, then each strip into small cubes.
Chop the lemongrass: Cut away the leafy top and work with the hard stalk only. With a mortar, give the stalk several whacks until it cracks. Slice the stalks as thinly as possible, then chop everything finely.
Chop the scallions: Remove the stalks and keep the tops. Rinse them, pat dry using a paper towel, and cut them into thin strips.
Slice the red jalapeño: Cut a jalapeño vertically in half. Remove the seeds, then slice the jalapeño into thin strips.
Cook:
Stir-fry the sea bass: Add 1 1/2 tbsp canola oil to a medium-heat skillet. When the oil is hot, place 22 oz sea bass fillets skin-side down and cook for 7 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat, and transfer to a plate.
Sauté garlic, ginger, and lemongrass: Add to the same skillet 1 tbsp canola oil, 2 tbsp garlic, 1/2 tbsp ginger, and 1 tbsp lemongrass. Stir well for 30 seconds.
Add the onion: Add 4 oz diced onion, then stir for 1 minute.
Add the other ingredients: Add to the skillet 3 oz tomatoes and stir well. Then, add 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 cup unsalted chicken broth, and 1/2 cup coconut milk. Stir well and bring to a boil.
Add the sea bass again: Add in the fillets and cook for 5 more minutes.
Add fish sauce, cilantro, and red jalapeño: Add 1/2 tsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp cilantro, and 0.5 oz red jalapeño. Remove from heat.
Garnish and serve: Place the sea bass curry on a plate alongside cooked white rice, then sprinkle everything with scallions and serve.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
Natalie Butler, RD, LD
Nutrition Reviewer
- ScoobyFlavorful and aromatic seafood dish.