With sweet seared scallops in a green curry sauce with corn, this is a great transition recipe made in late summer into early fall. I top the dish off with an herb salad and crispy fried shallots. It’s inspired by a dish I had years ago by a now closed favorite restaurant, Suberba Snack Bar in Venice, CA. The recipe is comforting and made with fresh ingredients like sweet summer corn and a homemade curry paste with jalapeños. The fresh, blended curry paste with fresh bold flavors resembles salsa verde more closely than the curry paste you buy from the store; Alternatively this recipe can be made with frozen corn and store bought curry paste for a more time efficient option.
Seared scallops in Coconut Green Curry
Homemade Green Curry Paste
This is not a traditional green curry paste – it lacks traditional ingredients like galangal that are difficult to find at some grocery stores, opting for more readily available ingredients in American grocery stores. A few notes on the ingredients I used:
- Lemongrass – Only the bottom yellow part of the lemongrass stalk is used in cooking – the top part is typically much too tough.
- Thai birds eye chilies – They can sometimes be hard to find so I buy them in bulk from my local Asian market and store them in a resealable bag in the freezer.
- Ginger – Peel away the skin of the ginger with a spoon, as it helps to navigate the uneven texture. I simply slice it since it will be blended into the paste.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Scallops – When cooking with scallops, look for “dry packed”, as they won’t contain any preservatives or additives. As they cook, the scallops absorb water, leaving the wet scallops smaller and tougher. Since “dry-packed” scallops have less liquid to release during the cooking process, they end up with a beautiful caramelized sear.
- Corn – Place the corn cob on top of a domed bowl set on top of a plate to easily catch the kernels as you cut them off the cob. Frozen or canned corn can also be used in place of fresh corn in this recipe.
- Green curry paste – While green curry paste is traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, I quickly blend the ingredients together in a food processor or blender to make a fresh paste. If using store-bought, I like the brand, Mae Ploy.
- Coconut milk – Coconut milk is the shredded flesh of coconuts pureed with water. Shake your can of coconut milk before using so any separated bits can emulsify again.
- Fish sauce – This product gets it’s funky umami flavor from the process of fermenting fish over a long period of time. A little adds the perfect finish of flavor to the sauce.
How to Make Green Curry Scallops with Corn
Step 1: Add ingredients for curry paste to food processor.
Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and blend until a finely ground paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed, about 2 minutes.
Step 2: Blend and use or store.
Use immediately or store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Step 3: Sauté aromatics.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons (28g) of the oil and heat through. Then add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Next, add the corn and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the green curry paste, cooking until fragrant, about an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Step 4: Add coconut milk.
Add the coconut milk, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce and set aside.
Step 5: Season scallops.
Remove the small side muscle from the scallops and pat dry with a paper towel. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the remaining oil and heat through. Season the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper, then add the scallops to the pan.
Step 6: Sear scallops.
Sear until the bottoms of the scallops are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and add the butter to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside.
Step 7: Fry shallots.
Add enough oil to a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven ½” (1.3cm) of the way up with the oil. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350ºF (180ºC). Add shallots, and fry in batches, if necessary, stirring frequently until deep golden brown and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes, reducing heat if they brown too quickly.
Step 8: Drain crispy shallots.
Remove shallots using tongs, and let drain on a paper towel-lined plate for 5 minutes.
Step 9: Make the herb salad.
Toss the cilantro, basil and green onions in the rice vinegar.
Step 10: Assemble and serve.
Divide the green curry broth among bowls and top with the scallops followed by the crispy shallots and herb salad. Serve.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and Substitutions
- Store-bought green curry paste can be used instead, but I love the fresh flavors of making your own.
- For a more filling meal, serve the curry sauce with jasmine rice.
- The scallops can be swapped for another shellfish like shrimp or even chicken.
- Try adding additional vegetables like roasted eggplant or mushrooms to the curry broth.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed these green curry scallops, give these recipes a try and follow me on Instagram:
Seared scallops in Coconut Green Curry
Pin
Serves 4
For the homemade green curry paste:
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 3 medium jalapeños, stems and seeds removed
- 3 Thai birdseye chilies
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bottom half
- 1 ” knob fresh ginger, peeled & sliced
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 5 stalks green onions, chopped
- ½ cup cilantro and stems
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the scallops and green curry sauce:
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 1 ear of corn. kernels cut off the cob (or 1 cup frozen corn)
- ⅓ cup homemade green curry paste, (recipe above)
- 1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk (shake vigorously before opening)
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 pound dry-packed large bay scallops
- Kosher salt as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper as needed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the crispy shallots:
- Vegetable oil as needed, for frying
- 3 medium shallots thinly sliced
For the herb salad:
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup basil, roughly chopped
- 2 medium green onions, julienned
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
For the homemade green curry paste:
-
Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and blend until a finely ground paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed, about 2 minutes.
-
Use immediately or store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
For the scallops and green curry sauce:
-
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons (28g) of the oil and heat through. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
-
Add the corn and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the green curry paste, cooking until fragrant, about an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute.
-
Add the coconut milk, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce and set aside.
-
Remove the small side muscle from the scallops and pat dry with a paper towel. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the remaining oil and heat through. Season the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper, then add the scallops to the pan.
-
Sear until the bottoms of the scallops are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and add the butter to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside.
For the crispy shallots:
-
Add enough oil to a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven ½” (1.3cm) of the way up with the oil. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350ºF (180ºC). Add shallots, and fry in batches, if necessary, stirring frequently until deep golden brown and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes, reducing heat if they brown too quickly.
-
Remove shallots using tongs, and let drain on a paper towel-lined plate for 5 minutes.
For the salad and assembly:
-
Toss the cilantro, basil and green onions in the rice vinegar.
-
Divide the green curry broth among bowls and top with the scallops followed by the crispy shallots and herb salad. Serve.
DID YOU MAKE THIS?
TAG ME ON INSTAGRAM TO BE FEATURED ON MY STORIES!
@cookingwithcocktailrings