After quite a few weeks of unhealthy eating and drinking it was time to get back to some proper routines of cooking again. Unhealthy meaning several bags of djungelvrål (that I always tell all my visitors to bring from Sweden), tons of chips and doritos, barrels of red wine, how many bottles of Smirnoff Ice? (and why?), tropical drinks, rum and god knows what else we've been devouring in lately. So when Alex got a big Mahi Mahi on the hook the other day outside of St Lucia, I decided it to be the end of the destructive gluttony for a while and instead I should try to get us back on track, food wise, at least.
Mahi Mahi is a great fish to cook, it is light and firm in texture, much reminiscent of chicken in fact and it is perfect for the ones who doesn't like a strong tasting fish. Like my sister, for example, who declared on her visit here a few weeks ago: "I eat whatever fish you prepare, as long as it doesn't taste like fish" ... no comments on that but I did what I was told and when she had tasted the curry absorbed fish that had I served and I saw a satisfied grin on here face, I knew mahi mahi was the way to go. "mmmmm, it tastes just like chicken!"..
This particular recipe doesn't include any curry, but what is great is that it can be concocted with any firm, white fish like mahi mahi, or why not with chicken, if you prefer.
Thai eggplant and juicy lime fruit are some of the main characters in this show.
I absolutely love the fact that the Food Market in Rodney Bay, St Lucia had Thai eggplants in their fruit section. I have loved these things above any other cooking fruit since I last visited Thailand and Malaysia in 2005. They are very hard to get a hold on in Europe unfortunately so I was surprised to see them on a small island like St Lucia. If you can't get a hold on them where you make your grocery shopping, regular eggplant or squash will do too. You will need to cut your eggplants in small cubes. Fresh chili is also needed. Beware of what type you bought and try them out on the tip of your tongue before you portion out the chili. You won't need much of the burning hot ones, of the less spicy ones you could take a couple of whole chili fruits. Cut them all in nice and small pieces.
This is how the mahi mahi looks. Very much like chicken, huh? Cut your fish (or your skinless, boneless chicken breasts) in thin slices. When that's done, fry them in your largest skillet in a bit of coconut-oil or other oil you have on hand, add salt and white pepper, taste, fry until golden. When meat has got a brownish hue, throw in the eggplants, chili and squeeze over one lime fruit (or two if they are very small and not too juicy). Fry it all for a minute or two, pour over coconut milk, lower the heat as the coconut milk usually doesn't like to be overheated. Leave it all to simmer under lid for 10-12 minutes. I would add a bit of my favorite Hot Spicy Sauce from the West Indies, you could add some extra chili pepper if you wish. Make sure to taste between any addition of chili or seasoning. Done when you are.
Now serve your delicious mahi mahi stew with jasmine or basmati rice and sprinkle some black sesame seeds on top for garniture. This dish is totally healthy and so extremely easy to prepare. Asian cooking resonates with me more than any other way of cooking, for the simple facts that it is always fresh, always low in fat and most of the times very easy to prepare.
I rarely cook with measurements so you'll have to figure out for yourself how much you'll need of each:
- Mahi Mahi, any other white firm fish or chicken breast
- A couple of lime fruits
- Some eggplants
- Chili pepper
- Sesame seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Coconut milk
- Oil
- Rice
