Thai-style whitefish curry with no chili paste in sight

A real curry, rich with coconut milk and warm with turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon, and not a single nightshade anywhere in the pot. The warmth that usually comes from chili paste comes here from whole spices blooming in coconut oil until the kitchen smells golden.

There is real nourishment doing quiet work in this bowl. Turmeric carries curcumin, a compound studied for its supportive role in the body's inflammatory balance, and the whitefish adds clean protein and iodine, both linked to thyroid and tissue repair. The coconut milk gives steady fat that keeps you full and satisfied, which matters when so many meals leave you reaching for something more within the hour.

Treat the fish gently and the spices with curiosity. Spoon it over cauliflower rice or roasted spaghetti squash, sit down, and actually taste it. Eating well like this is part of the work, not separate from it.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil, for searing
• 1 lb whitefish (cod, tilapia, or similar)
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced (button mushrooms work too)
• 1 cup green onion, sliced
• 1.5 cups coconut milk
• 4 teaspoons coconut aminos, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped, for finishing
• 2 tablespoons lime juice, to finish

Everything here is AIP-compliant as written. The turmeric-ginger-cinnamon blend stands in for the chili-based curry paste, so the dish stays fully nightshade-free.

Method

Warm a little coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the fish briefly on both sides, just to color it; it will finish cooking in the sauce.

Add the turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and garlic to the pan and let them bloom in the oil for about a minute, until fragrant.

Add the sliced mushrooms and green onion. Cook, turning the fish once, until the mushrooms soften and the fish flakes easily.

Pour in the coconut milk and stir in the coconut aminos, salt, cilantro, and lime juice. Heat through until everything is warmed and the sauce loosens around the fish. Taste and adjust the salt, aminos, and lime.

Serve over cauliflower rice or spaghetti squash. A splash of clean-label fish sauce stirred in at the end deepens the umami if you want it.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*