This steamed cod on spicy asparagus is a delicious and simple dish made in less than 15 minutes. Flaky fish, crunchy green asparagus, spicy radishes and salty cheese cream are a lovely combination for a light lunch or dinner.
It was a sunny day here in Hamburg. I could smell summer. Wink. Therefore, it was just a perfect moment for a light meal: steamed fish in combination with spicy vegetables. Since it’s asparagus season, I grabbed some green ones at the local grocery.
I used cod in this recipe, but be free to use other white fish as well. What is so great about this fish? Cod is a wonderful fish with dense and flaky white flesh. It is known for its mild flavour and the ability to pair with anything. It’s a low-fat source of protein and a great source of vitamins, such as B vitamins.
Consequently, that makes it an excellent choice for those who are trying to get rid of their love handles or improve their heart health. Additionally, I’ve read that cod is the best fish for fish and chips. These are quite some amazing reasons why cod is the top choice for so many people.
Now, there are plenty of ways how to prepare a fish. You may bake it, pan-fry it or deep fry it, you can grill it, poach it, cook it in a soup, make fish curry or enjoy it raw.
Here you might like some of my favourite fish recipes: oven-roasted Thai gilt-head bream, creamy spinach-filled salmon, bacon-wrapped rainbow trout, summerish watermelon salmon ceviche or these smoked mackerel potato cakes.
As you can already assume from the title, this time, I decided to steam the fish. Steaming is a great way to cook fish, because it retains its flavour and nutrients, too. The steamer basket is an ideal choice. But, how to steam a fish without a steamer or steamer basket? There is a simple solution to that.
You can either use a colander or a sieve. In a small pot, add some water (a finger high) and place the sieve or colander on top. They should fit the pot, in order to not fall in the pot. And there you have your homemade steamer basket. It is just like a double boiler, but instead of a bowl on top, you use a sieve or a pasta colander.
In addition, steaming a fish is quite a quick process. Which is great when you are super hungry. Wink. Like with other food, also here, the cooking time depends on the thickness of the food. A fish fillet that is 2,5 cm thick or thicker will need about 10 minutes to be cooked properly. If your fish fillet is thinner than that, reduce the cooking time by a couple of minutes.
Pair your fish with some vegetables and you’ll have a healthy, quick and delicious meal on your table. Crispy asparagus and spicy cute radishes are a lovely addition to the tender fish.
Ingredients for steamed cod on spicy asparagus:
- 250 g cod fillets
- chili oil
- 9-11 green asparagus
- 40 g Feta cheese
- 30 ml canned coconut milk
- salt and pepper
- 4-5 radishes
Start with washing and trimming the asparagus, by simply snapping the ends off. Place the cod fillets on a piece of parchment paper and put them into a steamer basket or into a colander over a pot with a small amount of steaming water. Cover and let them steam for 7-10 minutes.
In the meantime, drizzle some chili oil in a medium frying pan, add the whole asparagus and pan-fry them until bright green and slightly charred.
Then, combine Feta cheese, coconut milk, a teaspoon of chili oil and black pepper and blend into a smooth consistency. Wash the radishes and cut them into slices or simply halve them. Also, dice a small radish for the final garnish.
Finally, spread half of the cheese cream onto a plate, and arrange the asparagus and radishes. Sprinkle with sea salt. Then, top with the steamed fish, garnish with the remaining cream and diced radishes. This steamed cod on spicy asparagus is a great light meal.
Enjoy.
