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Choo Chee Salmon Curry

Top view of salmon fillets with choo chee red curry in a white round serving bowl.
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5 from 2 reviews

A quick and easy 30 minute curry that’s full of spicy-sweet flavors and rich creamy notes! Salmon fillets are first pan-fried until golden brown, then simmered in a flavor-packed thick Thai red curry sauce.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 Salmon Fillets, boneless, skin-on (about 120 grams/4–5 oz. per fillet)
  • ¼–½ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
  • 3.5 TBLS Canola Oil (or use any other neutral flavored oil)
  • 6 Garlic cloves – smashed, then roughly chopped
  • 4 Asian Red Shallots – peeled, halved and thinly sliced (substitute with ½ of a small red onion if unavailable.)
  • 2–14 Red Chilies (Bird’s Eye preferred, but any small hot red chilies will work), to taste – chopped
  • 2–6 Prik Kee Nu Green Chilies (optional), to taste – chopped
  • 2–4 TBLS Thai Red Curry Paste (I use Mae Ploy’s)
  • 1–2 Large Red Chilies – deseeded and finely sliced into thin strips
  • ¾ disc (about 37.5 grams) Coconut Sugar, to taste – shaved with a knife (substitute with 1–2 TBLS crystalized coconut sugar or light brown sugar if unavailable)
  • 330ml (2 x 5.5 ounce small cans) Coconut Milk (use full fat for best results, or use coconut cream)
  • ½ cup Water
  • 1.5 TBLS Fish Sauce
  • ¼ TSP Thai Chili Powder (optional) – (substitute with crushed red pepper chili flakes if unavailable)
  • 5–6 pieces (150–185 grams) Chinese Broccoli – stems thinly sliced, leafy green parts cut into rough chunks
  • 4 pieces Baby Corn – sliced in half lengthwise, then again widthwise
  • 4 Kaffir Lime Leaves – destemmed and finely sliced

Instructions

Prep:

  1. Prepare fresh ingredients: Chop/slice the garlic, shallots, Bird’s Eye red chilies, prik kee nu green chilies (if using), large red chilies, baby corn, Chinese broccoli, and kaffir lime leaves as indicated in the ingredients section. Reserve a few slices of the large red chili and kaffir lime leaves for garnish. Shave the coconut sugar with a knife, and set everything aside.
  2. Prep the fish: Remove the salmon fillets from the packaging they came in and gently pat them dry with paper towels. Place them on a large plate and season with the kosher salt.

For the Choo Chee Salmon Curry:

  1. Cook the salmon: Heat 1.5 tablespoons canola oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the salmon fillets skin side down in the pan and cook for 4-6 minutes, turning as needed until the fillets are golden brown on each side. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
  2. Sauté garlic, shallots, and chilies: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large wok or large deep sauté pan. Once hot, add the shallots and garlic. Sauté for a minute until fragrant, then add the Bird’s Eye red chilies, prik kee nu green chilies, and most of the thinly sliced large red chilies (reserve a few slices for garnish). Sauté for another minute.
  3. Add the coconut sugar and curry paste: Stir in the coconut sugar until dissolved. Then add the Thai red curry paste and sauté for 30-40 seconds.
  4. Add coconut milk, water, and seasonings: Pour in the coconut milk and water. Stir until the curry paste has fully broken down. Season with fish sauce and Thai chili powder, and stir well to combine. Taste and stir in more curry paste (see note), sugar, or fish sauce if needed.
  5. Add veggies and kaffir lime leaves: Add the baby corn, Chinese broccoli, and most of the kaffir lime leaves (set aside a few slices for garnish). Stir for a minute, until the leaves of the Chinese broccoli start to wilt.
  6. Add the salmon: Place the salmon fillets in the wok and spoon the sauce over them. Simmer for a minute or so, until the fish has heated through and the sauce thickens, then switch off the heat.
  7. To Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl/dish and garnish with the reserved sliced red chilies and kaffir lime leaves. Serve with warm steamed rice.

Equipment

Notes

Ingredient Notes, Cook’s Tips, and FAQs

  1. Thai Red Curry Paste: I recommend using Mae Ploy Thai red curry paste or Maesri Thai red curry paste for the most authentic flavor. Keep in mind different brands will have varying levels of spice, so I recommend adding 2-3 tablespoons first, then taste the sauce after seasoning it in step 4. Stir in more curry paste if you feel more spice or flavor is needed before adding the veggies in step 5.
  2. Thai ingredients: Asian red shallots, baby corn, and kaffir lime leaves can be found at Thai specialty grocery stores and some Asian supermarkets depending on where you’re located. Thai red curry paste and fish sauce can be found in the Asian aisle of most large supermarkets, at Asian supermarkets and Thai speciality ingredients stores. Or they can be purchased online. 
  3. Salmon: I recommend leaving the skin on during cooking so that the salmon can hold its shape in the sauce. If you’re not a fan of eating fish skin, peel off the skin with a spoon before serving (or people can peel it off in their own helping too).
  4. Other fish/seafood options: Cod, mackerel, trout, snapper, or sea bass are all great fish options. You can also make this curry with squid, shrimp, or prawns. But skip frying them first and add them to the curry sauce just before adding the veggies in step 5. 
  5. Can I make this gluten-free or dairy-free? The ingredients in this recipe are all gluten-free and dairy-free. But double check the ingredients list on the Thai red curry paste and fish sauce you’re using to ensure they are GF certified.
  6. Can I make this ahead? Yes! This dish keeps well in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in a wok or large pan on the stovetop, or for 2-3 minutes in the microwave until hot throughout.
  7. Can I make this vegetarian/vegan? Use tofu instead of the salmon, a vegetarian/vegan Thai red curry paste (many brands have shrimp paste), and a vegan fish sauce (or soy sauce). You can stir in some crispy pan-fried tofu cubes (or baked tofu cubes) into the sauce before adding the veggies in step 5.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thatspicychick.com/choo-chee-salmon-curry/