Instant Pot Thai Fish Curry

Tips and Substitutions

Fish

I use a firm, fleshy white fish like cod, salmon or haddock.  The fish pieces I use are usually an inch or more in thickness. 

If you’re using a thinner or flakier fish fillet like tilapia, it’s possible you could overcook the fish in the Instant Pot, so reduce the cooking time. Be very careful when removing the fish not to let it break apart.

When I forget to thaw the fish, I cut the frozen cod into pieces and follow the same recipe without changing cooking time.  If it needs to be cooked further, use the Saute function for a couple of minutes. Works great!

Curry Paste

Maesri makes a choo chee curry paste that’s terrific. However, it’s not easy to find. It is available on amazon but is more expensive than red, green and the multi-pack curry pastes. If you’re unable to purchase choo chee curry paste, a good substitute is red curry paste.

Maesri and Mae Ploy are my two favorite Thai red curry paste brands. I can’t emphasize enough how much of a difference the brand makes. You can find them at Southeast Asian grocery stores or on amazon.

In my experience, getting the brand of Thai red curry paste available at regular grocery stores does not produce great flavor. I won’t name names, but it comes in a small glass jar.

If the curry is too spicy at the end, add some more coconut milk to balance out the spice.

Coconut Flavor

Choo chee curry is supposed to have a heavier coconut flavor than other Thai recipes and it should also have some coconut oil glistening on the top, from the coconut oil separating from coconut milk. To achieve this, I add coconut oil to this recipe.

One way to add even more flavor is to add two tablespoons of toasted coconut paste. Toasting the coconut does take up to 15 minutes. This is an optional step and the curry tastes great even if you don’t have the toasted coconut.

• Toast two tablespoons of unsweetened coconut flakes in a small frying pan until a rich golden brown. Be sure not to burn the coconut.

• Place the toasted coconut in a mini blender bowl.
• Add just enough water to get the blender moving.  
• If you find that the coconut mixture is too thick and isn’t moving, add one tablespoon of water at a time, stirring before trying again.  If you add too much water, the coconut won’t blend properly.
• Grind the mixture to a very smooth paste. It should not be grainy.
• Stir this coconut mixture into the coconut milk before cooking the fish.

Lime Leaves

Lime leaves (also known as k-lime, makrut or kaffir lime leaves) add unique flavor to Thai curries.

You can find them at Asian grocery stores. I highly recommend using them. They keep very well in the freezer!

I like to either scrunch up the lime leaves and bruise them before adding them to the curry or chiffonade them by cutting them into very thin strips. This releases the oils from the leaves and adds a stronger flavor.

If you can’t find lime leaves, add an extra teaspoon or two of lime juice. Taste as you go.

In this curry, I like to chiffonade the lime leaves into long thin slivers. This involves slicing the leaves into long, very thin strips. They make for a pretty garnish too.

Fish Sauce

I really like the quality of Red Boat fish sauce which you can find at Asian grocery stores or on amazon.  But it is more expensive than other fish sauce brands.  Tiparos is another brand of fish sauce I’ve used – it’s more affordably priced.

There’s no substitute for fish sauce.  It adds that depth of flavor, the umami, to dishes.  I’ve had vegetarian readers recommend the Fysh brand of sauce.  But I haven’t tried it.  You may need to add a little extra.

Soy sauce is also a substitute for fish sauce, but there is a flavor difference.

Coconut Milk

I use full-fat coconut milk. I find some coconut milk brands don’t do well during pressure cooking, including some brands that are widely available at grocery stores. My two favorite brands are Aroy-D and Chaokoh. Some readers recommend Trader Joe’s brand coconut milk.

This recipe has less coconut milk than my usual curry recipes because choo chee curry is supposed to be a thick curry. However, you can change the recipe up by adding a whole can of coconut milk (about 2 cups). You will need to also increase the quantity of curry paste to three tablespoons if you want to keep the spice level of the original recipe.

Palm Sugar

Palm sugar is more authentic to a Thai curry than brown sugar is.  However, I frequently use brown sugar without sacrificing taste.

Thai Basil

Choo chee curry does not traditionally have Thai basil. If you love Thai basil and want to add some, feel free to do that. You’re the chef and you get to add what you like!

Low Pressure vs High Pressure

If your Instant Pot does not have the Low Pressure option, pressure cook on High Pressure for 1 minute.

Pro Tip

Concerned about the fish breaking apart while stirring the sauce? Instead of stirring, remove the Instant Pot inner pot (using oven mitts) and gently swirl around the sauce to cover the fish. If it’s hard to get the coconut milk moving, add a bit more coconut milk or some water.

Stovetop Directions for Thai Fish Curry

To make this recipe on the stovetop, heat the curry paste, some of the coconut milk, and the coconut oil till bubbly, Add the fish and remaining ingredients except lime leaves. If the sauce is too thick add a couple more tablespoons of coconut milk or water. Cook until fish is tender. Adjust seasonings and add lime leaves and heat through. See the recipe card below for detailed instructions.