I love scallops, but can’t justify purchasing them often because of their expense. Luckily, I’ve found the smaller bay scallop variety are often on sale in one of the grocery stores local to me, so I always snatch up a few bags when they’re half price!
Bay scallops are just as sweet as their larger cousins, but they can easily be overcooked if you try to sear them. They are, however, almost fool proof when it comes to adding them to saucy dishes (ooh err, missus!) like this red Thai curry dish. Just add them in the last few minutes of cooking time and are super tender. They’re a great surprise to find in your curry, I promise! Not to mention, they’re quick to thaw and require no real prep before using. Double bonus.
I adore all varieties of Thai food, but Mr Meatified is generally resistant to eating Thai curries because he finds them too soup-like. (See also his love for thick soups and dressings you can stand a spoon in.) So this version was made with him in mind. Which meant adding a little something extra to the usual coconut milk base for added thickness. I had some leftover cooked white sweet potato in the fridge, so I pureed that into the coconut milk before adding it to the curry.
You don’t have to include this step, but I enjoyed the extra sweetness it added to the curry. If you don’t have any extra sweet potato lying around, you could try adding a small amount of sweet potato puree. If you don’t have any bay scallops at home, don’t worry! This would be excellent with shrimp, white fish or a combination of the two.
This recipe is Whole 30 compliant, but not suitable for Autoimmune Paleo. Try serving it with my Lime & Coconut Cauliflower Rice!
PrintThai Bay Scallop Curry
This Thai curry has a little heat, a lot of creaminess from a secret ingredient and tasty bay scallops. It’s Paleo and Whole 30 compliant, too!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
Ingredients
- 1 tbl coconut oil
- 2 tbl red curry paste
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup leftover cooked sweet potato
- 2 tbl lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 tbl coconut aminos
- 1 tsp gluten free fish sauce
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 lb bay scallops
- 4 cups spinach
Instructions
- FRY: Heat the coconut oil in a large pan and, once hot, add the red curry paste. Fry for a minute or two, until the paste is fragrant.
- SOFTEN: Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan: toss to coat and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- SEASON: Add the lime juice, coconut aminos, fish sauce and sesame oil. Add some extra salt to taste if you wish.
- SIMMER: Blend together the cooked sweet potato and the coconut milk in a food processor or blender. Stir the sweet potato & coconut milk mixture into the pan. Bring to a simmer and heat through.
- FINISH: Add the bay scallops and fresh spinach. Cook until the bay scallops are opaque and cooked through and the spinach is wilted.
Notes
This recipe is Whole 30 compliant but NOT suitable for Autoimmune Paleo. Try serving it with my Lime & Coconut Cauliflower Rice!
This was incredibly delicious! I omitted the fish sauce because i couldn’t find any without sugar but i don’t think it made a difference. Don’t skip the sweet potato… amazing!!!
Yay, so glad you liked it — I love the sweet potato, too 🙂
If I’m looking to prepare this meal for a few days in advance, can you tell me how many “servings” this recipe would make?
If you pair it with a side like cauliflower rice, parsnip noodles or a vegetable mash, it should serve 3 – 4, depending on who’s eating and how hungry they are 😉