• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
CASA Veneracion

CASA Veneracion

Filipino food for the 21st century

  • About
  • Devour Asia
  • Renaissance Mom
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch / Dinner
    • Main Courses
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Noodles
  • Snacks
  • Drinks
  • Sweets
  • Christmas
  • Slow Cooker Recipes
  • About Us
  • Privacy
  • Devour Asia
  • Renaissance Mom
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch / Dinner
    • Main Courses
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Noodles
  • Snacks
  • Drinks
  • Sweets
  • Christmas
You are here: Home / Fish & Seafood / Crisp-fried scad with spinach and coconut milk sauce

Crisp-fried scad with spinach and coconut milk sauce

casaveneracion.com Crisp-fried matangbaka (big-eyed scad / purse-eyed scad) with spinach and coconut milk sauce

We had four whole fish, not really large, each about six inches from head to tail. Speedy and I finished all four because the sauce was so rich and creamy and tasty, and it completely elevated the status of the humble fried fish.

What’s the sauce? Sauteed aromatics, spinach puree and coconut milk paste, and fish broth.

I used matangbaka (big-eyed scad / purse-eyed scad) for this dish, but you can substitute any fleshy variety.

Crisp-fried scad with spinach and coconut milk sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2
Author: Connie Veneracion

Ingredients

  • 500 grams fish - cleaned and gutted (or use fillets, if that’s your thing)
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 and 1/2 cups vegetable cooking oil - for frying
  • 1 teaspoon garlic - minced
  • 1 large onion - roughly chopped (see chopping guide)
  • 2 large tomatoes - diced
  • 1/2 cup spinach puree and coconut milk paste - (get recipe)
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup to 1/2 c. of fish broth - (see how to make)

Instructions

  • Rinse and pat the fish dry with a kitchen towel.
  • Score the fish (skip if using fillets). Rub generously with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off the excess.
  • Heat the cooking oil. Fry the fish until crisp and golden. Set aside.
  • Pour off the cooking oil, leaving only about two tablespoonfuls.
  • Saute the onion and tomatoes until softened. Add the garlic. Continue sautéing for another half a minute.
  • Add the spinach puree and coconut milk paste. Cook, stirring, just until bubbly. Pour in enough broth to make a thick sauce. Taste. Add salt and pepper, as needed.
  • When the sauce is bubbly, add the fish in a single layer. Cook for half a minute, flip and cook for another half a minute.
  • Arrange the fish on a platter, spoon the sauce over and around them. Serve hot with rice.
Do you like seriously Asian food?Check out Devour.Asia!

If you cooked this dish (or made this drink) and you want to share your masterpiece, please use your own photos and write the cooking steps in your own words.

More Modern Filipino Recipes to Try!
Filipino chicken picadillo soup

Chicken Picadillo Soup

Bagnet sinigang in serving bowl

Bagnet Sinigang

Mango Melon Milkshake

Mango Melon Milkshake

Molo soup (pancit Molo) recipe

Molo Soup

Chicken inasal, rice, salad and dipping sauce on a blue plate

Chicken Inasal

Sinigang na kanduli sa miso (catfish in miso sour soup)

Catfish and Miso Sour Soup

06/21/2013 : See more in Fish & Seafood, Keto (Low Carb), Spinach

About Connie Veneracion

Hello and welcome! I'm a retired lawyer and columnist, wife for 29 years, mom of two, and a passionate cook. What is this blog about? Recipes for dishes we have cooked at home since 2003.

Previous Post: « Corn and spinach soup Spinach puree and coconut milk paste
Next Post: Tofu steaks with Chinese broccoli in mushroom sauce Tofu steaks with Chinese broccoli in mushroom sauce »

Sidebar

RSS Devour Asia

  • Thai Chicken Curry
  • Tonjiru (Butajiru): Pork and Vegetables Miso Soup
  • Smoked Salmon and Furikake Onigiri

RSS Renaissance Mom

  • Cheesy Potato and Bacon Casserole
  • Corn and Cheese Mini Muffins
  • Corn Muffins a la Kenny Rogers
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Contact

Everything © Connie, Speedy, Sam & Alex Veneracion. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.