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    Home » Recipes » All Recipes » Gluten Free

    Mackerel in Red Curry Sauce - "Choo Chee"

    Published: Aug 14, 2015 · Modified: Dec 7, 2020 by Pailin Chongchitnant · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    A delicious dish with a fun name. "Choo Chee" involves any kind of seafood dish in a rich kaffir-lime-infused red curry sauced. I'm using the meaty and flavourful mackerel, but feel free to change it up!

    Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

    All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

    Ingredients

    Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

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    • Mackerel fillets
    • Red curry paste (see note)
    • Coconut milk
    • Palm sugar, finely chopped
    • Fish sauce, to taste
    • Kaffir lime leaves, center rib removed, finely julienned
    • Spur chilies or red bell pepper, finely julienned for garnish (optional)
    • Coconut milk for garnish (optional)

    Note: If you want to make your own red curry paste, see this recipe, but reduce salt and shrimp paste amounts by half.

    How to Make Mackerel in Red Curry Sauce - "Choo Chee"

    Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

    1. Add ¼ cup of the coconut milk to a wok or a saute pan wide enough to hold the fish and bring to a boil.
    2. Add curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, reducing it until thick and until the coconut oil start separating from the paste. (If the coconut oil does not separate and the curry paste is very thick, just proceed with the recipe; some coconut milk has been processed to prevent separation.)
    3. Add the remaining coconut milk, palm sugar and fish sauce; stir to mix and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened to the desired consistency—you want the sauce to be rich and thick, but still easily pourable.
    4. When the sauce is close to being done, add half of the julienned kaffir lime leaves, let infuse for a minute or until the sauce has reached the desired consistency.
    5. Taste and adjust seasoning, making sure that the sauce is strongly seasoned as it'll be softened when you have it with the fish and the rice.
    6. Set the sauce aside, covered if possible, while you cook the fish.
    7. Pat the fish dry. In a large sauté pan, add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan and heat over medium high heat.
    8. Once hot, place the fish, skin-side down, and cook for about 2 minutes or until the skin is golden. Flip the fish and cook the other side for 1 more minute or until done. Remove and set aside.
    9. Bring the sauce back to a boil, adding more water if it has become to thick. Add the fish to the sauce, skin-side up, and let it simmer in the sauce just for 30 seconds to a minute, trying not to let the sauce get on the skin.
    10. Remove from heat and transfer the fish onto a serving plate. Pour the sauce around the fish, drizzling a little bit of sauce across the fillet.
    11. Pour the extra coconut milk on top (if using) and garnish with the remaining julienned kaffir lime leaves and julienned bell pepper.
    12. Serve with jasmine rice.
    Print
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    Mackerel in Red Curry Sauce - Choo Chee

    Mackerel in Red Curry Sauce - "Choo Chee"

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
    • Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
    • Yield: Serves 2
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    Ingredients

    • 2 mackerel fillets
    • 2 - 3 tablespoon red curry paste (see note)
    • ¼ cup + ⅔ cup coconut milk
    • 1 tsp palm sugar, finely chopped
    • 1-2 teaspoon fish sauce, to taste
    • 3 kaffir lime leaves, center rib removed, finely julienned
    • Spur chilies or red bell pepper, finely julienned for garnish (optional)
    • 1-2 tablespoon extra coconut milk for garnish (optional)

    Note: If you want to make your own red curry paste, see this recipe, but reduce salt and shrimp paste amounts by half. 

    Ingredients and Kitchen Tools I Use

    Want to save this recipe?

    We can email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!


    Instructions

    Add ¼ cup of the coconut milk to a wok or a saute pan wide enough to hold the fish and bring to a boil. Add curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, reducing it until thick and until the coconut oil start separating from the paste. (If the coconut oil does not separate and the curry paste is very thick, just proceed with the recipe; some coconut milk has been processed to prevent separation.)

    Add the remaining coconut milk, palm sugar and fish sauce; stir to mix and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened to the desired consistency—you want the sauce to be rich and thick, but still easily pourable. When the sauce is close to being done, add half of the julienned kaffir lime leaves, let infuse for a minute or until the sauce has reached the desired consistency.

    Taste and adjust seasoning, making sure that the sauce is strongly seasoned as it'll be softened when you have it with the fish and the rice. Set the sauce aside, covered if possible, while you cook the fish.

    Pat the fish dry. In a large sauté pan, add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan and heat over medium high heat. Once hot, place the fish, skin-side down, and cook for about 2 minutes or until the skin is golden. Flip the fish and cook the other side for 1 more minute or until done. Remove and set aside.

    Bring the sauce back to a boil, adding more water if it has become to thick. Add the fish to the sauce, skin-side up, and let it simmer in the sauce just for 30 seconds to a minute, trying not to let the sauce get on the skin.

    Remove from heat and transfer the fish onto a serving plate. Pour the sauce around the fish, drizzling a little bit of sauce across the fillet. Pour the extra coconut milk on top (if using) and garnish with the remaining julienned kaffir lime leaves and julienned bell pepper. Serve with jasmine rice.

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    Comments

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      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
      Recipe Rating





    1. Weston Heckman says

      December 16, 2023 at 1:30 pm

      Ridiculous story there. What happened after? Thanks!|

      Reply
    2. Wanda says

      December 11, 2022 at 3:46 pm

      I’ve made it twice. My husband loves it. When I post on Facebook I always get a lot of comments.

      Reply
    3. Therese says

      November 06, 2022 at 4:58 am

      Tried this today, it was amazing! Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Alison says

      January 05, 2022 at 8:37 am

      Mackerel is my fav fish too and I love coconut curry, so I had to try this recipe. My whole family raved about the dish and I am keeping it as a top recipe. Thank you so much for your recipes and videos.

      Reply
    5. James Chappell says

      August 15, 2021 at 7:35 am

      Pailin Chongchitnant is the "Thai Boss" in our kitchen.
      We do everything she recommends, the way she recommends things.
      The results are great!!!!

      Reply
    6. Futile Resistance says

      February 16, 2021 at 3:18 pm

      Easy and a great way to use up excess coconut milk

      Reply

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