A baked coconut curry casserole with fish and shrimp over rice, blending Australia's seafood with Southeast Asian spicing.
This casserole draws on Australia's coastal seafood tradition and its strong Southeast Asian culinary influence, baking firm white fish and shrimp together in a coconut curry sauce over a bed of rice, all cooked in one dish for an easy, mostly hands-off dinner. A simple curry paste of garlic, ginger, chile and curry powder forms the base, cooked briefly before coconut milk is added to mellow and round out the spice. Baking the seafood directly in the sauce over the rice means the rice absorbs the coconut curry flavor as it cooks, while the fish and shrimp gently poach in the same liquid, staying tender rather than drying out the way seafood can when exposed to more aggressive stovetop heat. Adding the shrimp partway through baking, rather than at the very start, is the key step that keeps them from turning rubbery by the time the dish is done. Finished with a scatter of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, this bake reflects the way contemporary Australian home cooking freely borrows Southeast Asian flavors and applies them to the country's abundant seafood, resulting in a dish that's become common well beyond its geographic origins.
Serves 5
Heat oil in an oven-safe pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Cook onion until soft, add garlic, ginger, chile and curry powder, stirring 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in rice, coconut milk, stock and salt, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Nestle the fish chunks into the rice mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes.
Uncover, nestle the shrimp into the rice, then re-cover and bake another 10 to 12 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and the rice is tender.
Adding the shrimp partway through baking rather than at the start is what keeps them tender instead of turning rubbery by the time the dish finishes.
Let the casserole rest 5 minutes, then fluff gently around the seafood. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Use a heavy, oven-safe pot or deep skillet so you can build the curry base on the stovetop and transfer straight to the oven without dirtying extra dishes.
Cut the fish into large chunks rather than small pieces so it holds together and doesn't overcook by the time the shrimp are ready.
Check the rice is fully tender before serving; if it's still firm after the shrimp are cooked, cover and return to the oven for a few more minutes.
All-fish version: skip the shrimp and use a larger quantity of fish, added just once at the start of baking.
Extra vegetables: stir in sliced bell peppers or snap peas with the rice for more color and texture.
Spicier: leave the chile seeds in, or add a second chile for more heat.
Refrigerate up to 2 days in an airtight container; reheat gently covered in a low oven or on the stovetop with a splash of water, being careful not to overcook the seafood further.
This dish reflects the strong influence of Southeast Asian cooking on modern Australian cuisine, particularly the widespread use of coconut milk and curry spices alongside the country's abundant fresh seafood from its extensive coastline.
Yes, barramundi, snapper or cod all work well; choose a firm variety that will hold together through the baking time.
Yes, simply use a larger amount of fish instead, added at the start of baking since it doesn't need the same protective timing as more delicate shrimp.
This usually means the foil seal wasn't tight enough and steam escaped -- press the foil down firmly around the rim of the dish, and give it extra time covered if needed.
Per serving (360g / 12.7 oz) · 5 servings total
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