Thai Salmon Coconut Curry

Ingredients

• 1 pound salmon (, skin on & cut into 4 fillets)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons green curry paste ((*Footnote 1))
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 cup green beans (, trimmed and cut in half)
• 1 small Japanese eggplant (, halved & cut into half-inch chunks)
• 6 basil leaves (, sliced)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large skillet or a wide saucepan add the 2 teaspoons of oil and heat over medium heat until warm. Add the curry paste. Cook and stir to release the fragrance, about 1 minute.

2. 2

   Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir to combine everything. Taste the mixture and adjust the fish sauce and sugar to your preference. (*Footnote 1)

3. 3

   Bring the broth to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low to reduce it to a simmer. Cook until the curry is mostly thickened, 10 minutes.

4. 4

   While the broth simmers, sprinkle a pinch of salt evenly onto both sides of the salmon. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to a separate pan over high heat until it is just smoking. Place the salmon, skin-side-down into the hot pan. Cook until the skin is brown and crisp, about a minute. Once done, transfer the salmon to a big plate and set it aside.

5. 5

   Once the broth is reduced, add the green beans and eggplant. Stir to mix well. Continue to simmer for another 4 minutes.

6. 6

   Arrange the vegetables to create 4 wells, about the size of the fillets. Place the cooked salmon skin-side-up in the wells. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes, until the salmon is just cooked through.

7. 7

   Remove the pan from the heat and add the basil leaves. Serve hot over steamed rice as a main dish.