The Salmon Sisters' Coconut Curry Fish Soup Recipe
The Salmon Sisters — Emma Teal Laukitis and Claire Neaton — grew up working on their family's commercial fishing boat in Alaska. They continue to preserve and celebrate their unique coastal heritage today through their work in commercial fishing, their nautical-inspired clothing and gear, and their incredible cookbook infused with the flavors and culture of wild Alaska.
Check out their episode on The WildFed Podcast (streaming above) for a deeper look into The Salmon Sisters' inspiring and fascinating way of life. Keep reading for a delicious recipe courtesy of their new cookbook — The Salmon Sisters: Fishing, Feasting, and Living in Alaska. Go here for a blog post by The Salmon Sisters sharing what it's like to live and eat on a commercial fishing boat!
Coconut Curry Fish Soup
This Thai-inspired coconut curry soup is comforting like a chowder but also light and alive with fresh lime juice, ginger, and cilantro. We love making it on the boat because the ingredients are simple and readily available, yet the flavor is fresh and tangy. Red curry paste (we used store-bought) brings the broth to life with its red chiles, coriander, lemongrass, garlic, and shallots. This soup is tasty made with salmon, halibut, rockfish, or shrimp — or throw in a combination! You can double the recipe for a big pot that will last you all week and add fresh garnishes to each bowl you enjoy. When we're fishing in Prince William Sound during the summer, we like to add fresh spot prawns that we caught and serve the soup over steaming white rice for an even heartier meal.
Makes 6 to 8 Servings
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 to 4 garlic gloves, minced
1/2 cup red curry paste
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 (14-ounce) cans coconut milk
2 1/2 cups fish, vegetable, or chicken stock
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 limes
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped green beans
2 cups cubed wild skinless salmon, halibut, rockfish, or whole shelled shrimp
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
2 limes, sliced, for garnish
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly browned. Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the brown sugar and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the coconut milk, stock, lime juice, ginger, and soy sauce.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add the green beans and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the fish and cook for 2 minutes. Garnish the soup with cilantro and slices of lime.
Check our the Salmon Sisters’ cookbook for more incredible recipes like this one!
Meet the Salmon Sisters
Emma Teal Laukitis and Claire Neaton grew up on a homestead called Stonewall Place on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. They have worked on their family's commercial fishing boats in the Bering Sea since they were young. Born from summers fishing with their family, Emma and Claire's appreciation for their unique upbringing and for the sustainable fisheries became central to many of their pursuits. Emma studied art and English at Williams College and earned a master's degree in design at the University of Washington, and Claire studied business and nutrition at the University of Vermont.
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