A quick Thai-style broth — coconut milk, fish sauce, ginger, and garlic — with white fish, shrimp, and bok choy. On the table in 20 minutes.
Serves: 4 | Time: 20 min
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (450 g) firm white fish fillets like cod, tilapia, or snapper, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 8 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied
- 4 cups (1 L) fish broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red chili, thinly sliced and spiciness adjusted to taste
- 4 baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
- fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Build the broth. In a medium pot, combine the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer over medium heat for about
Cook the fish. Add the fish pieces to the simmering broth. Cook for 3–4 minutes, or until the fish is just opaque and cooked through.
Add shrimp and vegetables. Add the shrimp, bok choy, Simmer for a further 3–5 minutes until the shrimp are pink and curled, and the bok choy is tender but still has some bite.
Adjust seasoning. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add more fish sauce for depth or more lime juice for brightness.
Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with sliced red chili and fresh cilantro or parsley.
Notes:
Fish: Cod, tilapia, snapper, or any firm white-fleshed fillet works well. Avoid oily fish like salmon or mackerel — they’ll overwhelm the broth.
Shrimp: Butterflying the shrimp (cutting partway through the back) helps them cook evenly and curl neatly. If using frozen shrimp, thaw fully and pat dry before adding.
Heat level: One red chili gives a gentle warmth. Add a second, or leave the seeds in, for more heat. A small spoonful of Thai red curry paste stirred into the broth also works well.
Bok choy: Baby bok choy halved lengthwise cooks quickly and stays pleasantly crisp. If using full-sized bok choy, quarter it or separate the leaves and add the stems a minute before the leaves.
Broth: Fish broth gives a cleaner flavor; chicken broth is milder and more pantry-friendly. Either works.
