Honduran Fish in Green Banana Coconut Sauce with Cilantro Rice

Name: Honduran Fish in Green Banana Coconut Sauce with Cilantro Rice
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Hondureña
Ingredients: 1.5 lb firm white fish fillets; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp lime juice; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 10.5 oz green banana; 1 cup white onion; 4 cloves garlic; 1 1/2 cups ripe tomato; 3/4 cup sweet red pepper; 13.5 fl oz coconut milk; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro; 1 tsp ground annatto; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1 cup uncooked white rice; 2 cups water

Seared fish fillets finished in a silky sauce of green banana, coconut, tomato, and cilantro, served with fragrant cilantro rice. This is an original recipe inspired by Honduran coastal and home-style flavors.

25 minPrep

35 minCook

60 minTotal

4Servings

Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

4 filetes (aprox. 680 g) 680 g firm white fish fillets (como pargo, tilapia or mero; skinless if desired)
8 g 8 g salt (divided entre pescado, sauce and arroz)
2 g 2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
30 ml 30 ml lime juice (for sazonar the pescado)
45 ml 45 ml vegetable oil (divided)
2 unidades medianas (aprox. 300 g) 300 g green banana (pelados and sliced finas)
150 g 150 g white onion (chopped; divided)
12 g 12 g garlic (chopped; divided)
240 g 240 g ripe tomato (chopped)
100 g 100 g sweet red pepper (chopped)
400 ml 400 ml coconut milk (without sugar)
20 g 20 g fresh cilantro (chopped; divided)
2 g 2 g ground annatto (optional, for color)
1 g 1 g ground cumin (for the sauce)
200 g 200 g uncooked white rice (enjuagado)
480 ml 480 ml water (for cocer the arroz)

Nutrition facts

per serving

520 kcal

Calories

35 g

Protein

42 g

Carbs

24 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

38 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Fish

Instructions

1
1. Season the fish fillets with 4 g salt, black pepper, and lime juice. Let them rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
2
2. For the rice, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pot over medium heat. Add half of the chopped onion and half of the chopped garlic; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
3
3. Stir in the uncooked white rice and toast it for 1 minute, stirring. Add the water, 2 g salt, and half of the chopped cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 18 minutes until the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
4
4. While the rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the green banana slices and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, so they soften slightly without browning too much.
5
5. Add the remaining onion, remaining garlic, tomato, and sweet red pepper to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the tomato breaks down and the banana softens fully.
6
6. Pour the coconut milk into the skillet and add the ground annatto, ground cumin, and 2 g salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, until the banana is very tender.
7
7. Carefully transfer the banana-coconut mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the sauce to the skillet and keep it over low heat. Stir in half of the remaining chopped cilantro.
8
8. Lightly pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in another skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the fish for 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until lightly colored and almost cooked through.
9
9. Place the seared fillets into the hot sauce, lower the heat, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, spooning sauce over them, until the fish is fully cooked and flakes easily with a fork. If you want to keep it warm without drying it out, you can cover the skillet and place it in the oven at 300°F / 150°C for 5 minutes.
10
10. Fluff the rice with a fork. Serve a bed of cilantro rice, place a fish fillet on top or alongside, and spoon plenty of the green banana coconut sauce over it. Finish with the remaining cilantro on top.

Chef tips

For a silkier sauce, strain it after blending. If the green banana is very starchy and the sauce turns out too thick, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of hot water or extra coconut milk to adjust the texture.

Substitutions

You can use a small green plantain instead of green banana, though the sauce will be slightly stronger in flavor. Regular cilantro can be replaced with local cilantro or a mix of both. If you do not have sweet red pepper, use mild green pepper.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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