Easy Asian-style Seafood Stew (Gluten-Free)

Celiac.com 04/16/2015 - In my travels through southeast Asia, I have eaten many a fish or seafood stew. This recipe tries to evoke those flavors.

Simply sauté some fish or seafood in a pan, add some broth, and stir in a purée of great ingredients like garlic, basil, mint, cilantro and lemongrass, with fish sauce, sugar and a few other things, and you get a yummy stew with a nice spicy zing.

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The basil, mint and cilantro give the sauce a verdant green hue.

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1½ cups cilantro
• ⅓ chopped fresh mint leaves
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2-2½-inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled, sliced
• 4-inch long piece of lemongrass, the tender, center part
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free fish sauce (I use Squid brand)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Stew Ingredients:

• ¾ pound firm white fish, cut into chunks
• ½ pound fresh squid, cut into rings
• ½ pound shrimp, cleaned and deveined

Directions:
First, make the green sauce by putting the garlic, basil, mint, cilantro, lemongrass, ginger, chilies, fish sauce, sugar and salt into a blender or food processor and mixing into a paste.

Add cold water as needed, but you want the mixture to be pretty thick and pasty.

Next, heat oil in a deep sauté pan.

Season fish chunks with salt and pepper and add to the hot oil.

Cook fish for about a minute on first side. Increase heat and turn fish to cook other side for about 1 minute more.

Add broth and half of the paste mixture.

Cover and cook for a couple minutes longer, until fish is fully cooked.

Add remaining sauce and stir gently until dissolved.

Add more broth, salt, or water to taste.

Serve over white rice with a side of steamed vegetables for a lean, healthy, delicious meal.