Bring the beauty of the stunning Samana Bay to your kitchen with this Pescado con coco recipe. This fish with coconut milk sauce is a mix of fresh fish, vegetables, and herbs in a hearty sauce with all the spices and tastes that we love. It's a recipe that won't disappoint.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Jul 28, 2003
Why we ❤️ it
Pescado con coco Dominicano, a traditional dish from the Samana Bay, is a tender, flaky fish in a rich and flavorful orange-colored coconut cream. It's beautiful and tasty enough to transport your mind to one of the world's most beautiful places.
This fish in coconut milk sauce has a very sophisticated taste, despite the simplicity of its preparation and the humbleness of its components: the secret is in the freshness of its ingredients.
Try this one, or Camarones con coco (inspired on this dish) and bring a tropical beach breeze to your own dining room.
About pescado con coco
Fish in coconut sauce is a fish curry that is not uncommon in tropical, oceanside locales (like these Ecuadorian and Colombian ones). But this recipe and dish is the flagship of Samanense cooking (from Samaná), the gorgeous Easternmost Dominican bay.
With its neverending coconut groves, unique history, peculiar ethnic origins, and movie-worthy views, Samaná has contributed its unique cuisine to the Dominican melting pot.
Red snapper and pescado con coco.
Serving suggestions
You can never go wrong with lime wedges for a drizzle of fresh lime juice and freshly fried, crispy Tostones. Arroz blanco (white rice) is another favorite with this. A few slices of avocado are always welcome too.
For a full Samanense table, double down on the coconut flavor and serve with some Moro de guandules con coco (rice with pigeon peas and coconut) and even some Pan de coco, the tasty yaniqueque de samaná.
Top tips
- Picking the right fish: Buy the kind of fish that is common in the Dominican Republic to get the authentic flavors in this dish.
Fresh fish is the best choice. In my experience, some low-quality frozen fish release way too much water when cooking, and it releases too much fish juices, and the sauce turns watery.
These are some of my favorite picks for this dish: Red snapper, Sea bass, Yellow tail snapper, Grouper, Tilapia, Trout. If you can't find any of these, any white fish fillet will do a decent job. - Fresh or frozen: If you can, use fresh fish, but frozen can do in a pinch.
- Picking coconut milk: Yeah, you can use canned unsweetened coconut milk, but fresh full-fat coconut milk is next-level.
- Color: Using bija (annatto) powder is much better than using tomato sauce or tomato paste, bija does not overpower the taste of coconut and gives the fish sauce a nice color.
About our recipe
When you try Pescado con coco for the first time, you can't help but wonder how you had lived without something that tastes this decadent, that is so evocative of lazy days on white-sand beaches, mid-day siestas, and exotic cocktails at sundown.
The best fish with coconut I've ever tasted was at Playa Rincón in 2003: fish fresh out of the sea (I saw the fisherman bring it in), coconuts picked from a coconut grove right before my eyes, and cooked over a wood fire right there on the spot.
We ate it sitting on a log, facing the sea, with a nice cold beer. No restaurant before or since has come close to that experience.
Make this glorious tropical combination of fresh tropical fish, and you'll see why we love it so much.
And if you have a different touch you swear by in yours, let us know in the comments!
Video
Recipe
This awesome free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, we receive a small commission from any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Pescado con Coco [Video+Recipe] Fish in Coconut Milk Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 snapper fish, tilapia, or red grouper, ½ lb [0.45 kg] each (see notes above recipe)
- 5 cloves garlic, mashed
- 1½ teaspoon salt, (more may be needed)
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, (corn, canola or peanut)
- 1 teaspoon bija (annato, achiote) powder, (optional)
- 2 bell pepper, (whichever color) cut into strips
- 1 onion, cut into strips
- 4 cup coconut milk, (or canned)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus extra sprigs to garnish
- 1 lime, cut into wedges to garnish
Instructions
1. Clean the fish.
Clean the fish. Score diagonal cuts on the fish about 1.5 inches [4 cm] from each other.Mix the garlic and salt. Rub the fish with the mixture, making sure it penetrates into the cuts. Set aside to rest in the fridge for half an hour.
2. Brown fish
- Heat oil in a large skillet (12" [30 cm]) over high heat.Cook the fish lightly on one side (until it turns a light golden color), rotate, and cook the other side equally. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside.
3. Sauteing vegetables
- Add bija (annatto) to the oil.Add the bell pepper and onion, and cook and stir until the onions become translucent.
3. Make sauce
- Add the coconut milk and set heat to medium. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Place the fish in the pan. Cook and rotate the fish regularly, but be careful that it stays whole.Sprinkle with the minced cilantro. Taste the sauce and season with salt to taste.
4. Serve
Remove from the heat. Garnish with lime wedges (optional) and serve. See some serving suggestions above the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. ❤️ Plus, get great weekly recipes from me!
More fish recipes
Fish recipes are popular throughout the Dominican Republic, especially in coastal towns. Another very popular choice is Pescado frito, a mainstay of family beach days. Albóndigas de pescado (Dominican fish balls) is one of my favorite, and Bacalao guisado con Papa is the second most popular Lenten dish in our cuisine.
- Learn more about me and the humans behind this blog.
- Share your questions and comments about this post.
- Subscribe to receive our recipes and articles by email.
- Please stay in touch! Follow us on:
