fish and vegetables braised in a fresh homemade curry paste and coconut milk

A curry paste from a jar would be one less decision on a day when you may not have many left in you, but AIP-friendly jars are hard to find, so this one gets built from scratch. Shallot, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, and lime, blended by hand and cooked down until the kitchen smells like dinner. It takes about 10 real minutes at the counter, and after that the pot does the rest of the work.

Turmeric's curcumin has drawn real research attention for what it does in the body's inflammatory response, and it is the reason this paste turns gold. Pair it with a lean white fish for easy protein and a stack of nightshade-free vegetables of your own choosing, and the pot becomes a genuinely flexible answer to 'what do I actually have that fits the plan tonight.'

Ladle it warm over whatever base you are using, garnish with more cilantro than you think you need, and sit down to eat it before the fish goes cold.

Ingredients

Curry paste

• 2 shallots, roughly chopped
• 4 whole cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemongrass, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/8 cup basil, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Fish curry

• 3 skinless fish fillets (any type), cut into squares
• 1/2 cup filtered water
• 2 cups full-fat coconut milk (additive-free)
• 1/2 tablespoon coconut sugar
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Cilantro, for garnish
• Vegetables of choice, finely sliced or chopped (keep them nightshade-free; see Notes)

Method

Make the paste first. Put the shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, basil, sea salt, and coconut oil into a blender or food processor and blend to a coarse, fragrant paste. Scrape down the sides and pulse again if needed. It does not have to be perfectly smooth.

Warm a wide pan or skillet over medium heat and spoon in the paste. Cook it, stirring, for a few minutes until it darkens slightly and smells deeply aromatic. This step matters, since gently cooking the paste rounds out the raw bite of the garlic and shallot.

Pour in the filtered water and the coconut milk and stir until the paste loosens into a smooth sauce. Add the coconut sugar and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. If you are using firmer vegetables such as carrot or sweet potato, add them now and let them soften for several minutes before the fish goes in. Quicker vegetables such as zucchini or greens can go in later.

Lower the fish squares into the simmering sauce in a single layer. Cook gently, spooning sauce over the top now and then, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, roughly 6 to 10 minutes depending on thickness. Avoid stirring hard once the fish is in, so the pieces stay intact.

Finish with the lime juice, taste, and adjust salt. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve warm over a base of your choice.

Instant Pot variation

The simmer adapts well to an Instant Pot. Use the Saute function to cook the paste, then add the water and coconut milk and stir smooth. Add any firm vegetables, lay the fish on top, seal, and cook on Low pressure for about 2 to 3 minutes, then release the pressure right away so the fish does not overcook. Stir in the lime juice and garnish after. Delicate fish overcooks quickly under pressure, so keep the time short and treat this as a starting point.

Notes

The paste here is fresh and made from scratch, so there is no commercial curry powder and no seed-spices such as cumin, coriander, fennel, or mustard. It stays AIP elimination-compliant as written, no swap needed.

Vegetables are left to the cook, which means the elimination-compliance is in your hands. Keep them nightshade-free: no tomato, peppers, chili, eggplant, or potato. Good Core choices include carrot, sweet potato, zucchini, green beans, spinach, kale, cauliflower, or mushroom.

*Adapted from healmedelicious.com*