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Brown stew fish with rice and peas

Brown stew fish is a Jamaican dish of pan fried fish simmered in a brown vegetable sauce with soy sauce, served with coconut rice and peas. It serves 4, takes 55 minutes, and is rated medium difficulty, at about €4.10 per person. The key is browning the fish well before it simmers, which gives the sauce its deep color and grilled flavor.

Tonight, it's Jamaica, with brown stew fish, pan fried fish simmered in a brown vegetable sauce, and coconut rice and peas.

Brown stew fish with rice and peas
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.10
Calories per person
780 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Brown stew fish plays on contrasting textures, the fish turns lightly crisp outside after its trip through hot flour, then goes tender once it simmers in the sauce. The brown sauce, built from onion, bell pepper, carrot, and tomato, brings body and a touch of heat from the whole chili, which you can pull out partway through cooking. The coconut rice and peas, fragrant and slightly sweet, rounds out the plate without any extra effort.

This is a dish for a night when you have a bit more time, a Sunday or a dinner with guests, since you're managing two pots at once, the fish and the rice. The spice stays gentle but noticeable, so it's not really built for kids sensitive to heat. With Mon Chou, you know ahead of time how long it takes and what it costs, so you can plan it without surprises.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Sea bream fillets 700 g

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Canned kidney beansoften in the pantry 1 can
  • Coconut milkoften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 2
  • Red bell pepper 1
  • Tomatoes 3
  • Carrots 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Thyme 4 sprigs
  • Fresh chili pepper 1

Allergens Fish, Gluten, Soy

The step by step recipe

  1. Season the fish with salt and pepper, coat it in flour, brown it in hot oil, then set it aside. 8 min

    It shouldn't cook through yet, it will finish cooking in the sauce.

  2. In the same pan, cook the onion, bell pepper, sliced carrot, garlic, and thyme. 10 min

    The browned bits left in the pan are what give the sauce its flavor.

  3. Add the tomatoes, soy sauce, whole chili pepper, and a glass of water, then let it simmer covered. 15 min

    Keep the chili whole so you can control the heat, remove it if it's spicy enough.

  4. Put the fish back into the sauce and let it simmer gently. 6 min

    Spoon the sauce over it without stirring, the fish should stay in big pieces.

  5. Cook the rice with the drained kidney beans and coconut milk in twice its volume of salted water, until the liquid is absorbed. 15 min

    The coconut milk flavors the rice, it's the signature touch of this dish.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm sea bream fillets, they hold together better during simmering instead of breaking into small flakes.
  • Cut the vegetables into even pieces so they all cook at the same pace during the ten minutes of sautéing.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the fish back in, that's your moment to adjust the salt or pull out the chili if you want less heat.

The variations

  • Swap the sea bream for cod or hake, firm fish that hold up well to simmering.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the fish with floured, browned eggplant slices prepared the same way.
  • To go faster for kids, remove the chili from the start and serve the rice plain without waiting for the coconut milk to fully absorb.

What to serve it with

  • Fried plantains
  • Fresh tropical fruit juice
  • Cucumber and red onion salad

Storage

Brown stew fish keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, with the fish and rice stored separately. It doesn't freeze well because of the fish, it's best eaten fresh. Reheat gently in a pan or on low heat so the fish doesn't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Why coat the fish in flour before browning it?

The flour forms a thin crust that protects the fish and helps color the sauce as it simmers later. It also slightly thickens the cooking liquid.

Can you make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the vegetable sauce up to the simmering step and keep it in the fridge for a day. Just reheat it before adding the browned fish back in.

What chili can I use if I can't find a fresh one?

A dried bird's eye chili or half a teaspoon of chili powder works well, added directly to the sauce. Taste before serving to adjust the heat.

Can coconut rice replace plain rice here?

Yes, that's actually the signature of this dish, the rice absorbs the coconut milk as it cooks with the kidney beans. You can cut back on the coconut milk if you prefer a milder flavor.

How long does it take to make a brown stew fish with rice and peas?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a brown stew fish with rice and peas?

About 780 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a brown stew fish with rice and peas cost?

About €4.10 per serving, or €16.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, gluten, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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