Coral Trout In Coconut Cream

Let's see what Dr Gerry Goeden has to say about fish.

Dr Gerry Goeden :"One of my favorite fish in the Indo-pacific is the Coral Trout. There are several species of these beautiful fish. Colors vary between the species and with depth; deeper water Coral Trout are brilliant red and all have bright blue spots.

Coral Trout are fish eaters and live close to the coral mostly along reef slopes. The best way to catch them is with a baited hook or with a fast swimming lure. Coral Trout move around considerably on their home reef, but no further than 500 meters from it. Movement between neighboring reefs is rare."  

Coral Trout in coconut cream 

Preparation time: 25 mins

1kg coral trout

80 g butter

½ teaspoon salt

Pak choy

A green algae popular in Asia called sea grapes (Caulerpa) ; salty and burst in your mouth when you bite it

1 lemon

125 ml coconut cream

1 big onion chopped in rings (optional)

2 tablespoon oyster sauce (can be used as a plate garnish)

First, melt butter in a pan, add salt and fish. Turn and baste for 7-10 mins or until the fish is just cooked through. Lift the fish to a plate and keep warm.

Fry the battered onion rings. You can either steam or boil  pak choy. But you only have to wash the Caulerpa, it shouldn't be cooked.

Stir lemon juice into the pan and cook for 5 mins . Add coconut cream into pan and bring to boil. 

Ladle the cream onto the fish and garnish with oyster sauce. 

I think Coral Trout is one of the highest quality reef fish with very white and firm flesh. The trouble is that it isn’t always available these days. Close seconds are the Coral Trout relatives. Dr. Gerry calls them Serranids but the rest of us know them as garoupa or groupers (sama sama!). Some garoupa are a little less firm and flakey so experience with your local species will be your best guide.

About the names; every country seems to have its own version. The western name "grouper" comes from the name for the fish, most widely believed to be from the Portuguese name, garoupa. The origin of this name in Portuguese is believed to be from an indigenous South American language. Garoupa is also widely used in the Indo-pacific and Asia.

This Vanuatu Coral Trout is a terrific catch but fish this size are often leathery in texture. Toss it back and catch something around 1 - 2 kg.