Miso Chili Lime Sea Bass

Transform simple fish into an elegant dish. This miso chili lime sea bass with pickled scallions, coconut rice, and seared bok choy is guaranteed to impress.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Scallions: The pickled scallions add acidic brightness to cut through the rich, creamy sauce.
• Mustard seeds: Add a subtle peppery pop and slight crunch to the pickled scallions.
• Jasmine rice: A type of long-grain rice that, when cooked with coconut milk, becomes creamy and rich. You can also use basmati rice.
• Chilean sea bass: Chosen for its firm, flaky texture and mild, sweet flavor that won't compete with the complex sauce. Sea bass holds up well to roasting and has enough substance to stand up to the bold miso-chili flavors without being overwhelmed.
• Thai chili: Adds heat and fruity spice to the miso sauce.
• White miso: Adds richness to the sauce as well as a savory and sweet element.
• Coconut cream: Used in the sauce to add richness and slight sweetness. If you dislike coconut, you can use heavy cream instead.
• Baby bok choy: Completes the dish as a fresh vegetable component.

Substitutions and variations

• Protein: Try this recipe with another firm white fish, such as halibut, cod, or mahi-mahi.
• Vegetables: You can skip the bok choy or substitute it with any other vegetable, such as roasted broccoli or sauteed snap peas.
• Gluten-free: Use gluten-free miso paste and gluten-free mirin for the sauce.

Recipe

Print Recipe

4 from 2 votes

Miso Chili Lime Sea Bass

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: seafood

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Pickled scallions

• 5 scallions, sliced (about 2 cups)
• ¼ cup boiling water
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Coconut rice

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Miso chili lime sea bass

• 1 pound Chilean sea bass filets
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Thai chili chopped
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 7 ounces coconut cream
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili oil
• juice and zest of ½ lime
• salt and pepper

Remaining ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ pound baby bok choy halved
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Make the pickled onions. Combine the boiling water with rice vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, and salt, stirring to dissolved. Add the sliced scallions and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the coconut rice. Wash the jasmine rice until the water runs clear. Drain the rice and combine it with the coconut milk, water, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Fluff the rice with a fork and keep warm.
• Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil on the sea bass and season with salt and pepper. Lay the fish on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Remove from the oven.
• Prepare the miso chili lime sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and Thai chilies and saute until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the miso, stirring to combine.
• Add the coconut cream, mirin, and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently or until slightly thickened. Add the chili oil, lime zest, and juice. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan. Cook the baby bok choy until seared and the thick stems are softened, about 7-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Plate the fish on plates and spoon the miso chili lime sauce on top. Top with the pickled onions and serve with the coconut rice and seared bok choy.

Notes

You can prepare the pickled scallions up to 3 days in advance.

If you prefer a mild sauce, decrease the amount of chili oil or omit the Thai chili.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make pickled scallions

The star of this dish is unquestionably the fish; however, the extra elements complete the meal and transform it into a restaurant-quality meal. Sure, you can serve the fish with plain rice and skip the pickled scallions, but those extra steps will be worth it. Trust me.

For the pickled scallions, all you have to do is combine the boiling water with the remaining ingredients, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Then, add the chopped scallions and let them sit for about 30 minutes.

It won't seem like there's enough liquid, but as it sits, the scallions will absorb the brine.

Feel free to make the pickled scallions up to 3 days in advance.

Step 2: Prepare sauce

Now let's move on to where all the flavor comes from, the sauce.

To make the sauce, start by sauteing the aromatics, including the onion, garlic, and Thai chilies. You can omit the chilies if you want a milder version.

Once the onion softens, add the miso, stirring to combine. Add the coconut cream, mirin, and sugar, and bring the mixture to a boil. We're using coconut cream and not coconut milk for the thicker consistency.

After about 10 minutes, season the sauce with salt, pepper, lime zest, and juice, and a hit of chili oil. Keep the sauce warm while you prepare the other ingredients. You can also cook the sauce the day before and reheat it the following day.

Step 3: Bake fish

For the fish, we're going to simply season the sea bass with salt and pepper and bake it in the oven until the fish flakes easily. Since we're going to cover the fish with the sauce, you don't need any other seasonings.

If you're not a fan of sea bass, substitute it with any other type of fish or seafood. You can go completely rebellious and even pair it with roasted chicken or pork tenderloin.

Step 4: Putting it all together

Although you don't have to prepare the other sides, the miso chili lime sea bass goes great with a side of coconut rice and seared bok choy.

Plate the fish, spooning a generous amount of the sauce on top, followed by the pickled scallions. This recipe makes a big batch of the sauce, and that's a good thing because you're going to want it!

This miso chili lime sea bass reminded me so much of the king crab dish I had in Houston, so I would say this was a successful mission! The charred greens with the sweet and tart pickled scallions and creamy coconut rice balanced the decadent fish perfectly.

A wonderful meal if I do say so myself!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: The pickled scallions can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. The coconut rice and miso sauce can be made earlier in the day and reheated.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 2 days.

Frequently asked questions

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