Creamy Thai Coconut Lobster Curry with Jasmine Rice

This Thai-inspired coconut lobster curry brings together tender lobster tails and a rich, aromatic sauce infused with curry powder, sweet chili and creamy coconut milk. Served over fluffy jasmine rice and topped with crispy fried shallots and fresh cilantro, every bite is a balance of savory, sweet and herbaceous flavors.

Perfect for a special dinner at home, this recipe uses simple techniques to create a restaurant-quality dish. The curry comes together quickly and the lobster cooks gently in the sauce, absorbing all the wonderful spices. Garnish with lime wedges for a bright finish.

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Ingredients

1 unit Seafood Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Sweet Thai Chili SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Heirloom Grape TomatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 tablespoon Curry PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 ounce Garlic-Ginger Scallion PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Coconut MilkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce Lobster TailsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cups water (2¼ cups for 4 servings) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to use.
2. While rice cooks, wash and dry produce. Halve, peel and thinly slice shallot. Halve, peel and cut onion into ¼-inch-thick wedges. Halve, core and cut bell pepper into ¼-inch strips. Thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Zest and quarter limes. Roughly chop cilantro. Using kitchen shears, cut along underside of each lobster shell, leaving meat intact and stopping at tail; pull sides of shell apart to expose meat (do not remove meat from shell). Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-low heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season immediately with salt. Wipe out pan.
3. Heat a large drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, scallion whites and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in half the curry powder (all for 4 servings); cook, stirring constantly, 30-60 seconds more. While veggies cook, thoroughly shake coconut milk in container before opening. In a small bowl, combine coconut milk, chili sauce, stock concentrate, juice from two lime wedges, 1 tablespoon water and 1 teaspoon sugar (for 4 servings: juice from four lime wedges, 2 tablespoons water and 2 teaspoons sugar).
4. Stir coconut milk mixture into pan with veggies. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, 4-6 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter (4 tablespoons for 4 servings); stir until butter has melted and curry is well combined. Taste and season with salt and more lime juice if desired. Turn off heat.
5. Add lobster tails, cut sides down, to pan with curry. Cover pan and cook over medium heat until lobster is slightly opaque and cooked through, 2-4 minutes.
6. Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lime zest, garlic-ginger scallion paste and half the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. For an extra-rich experience, stir in 1 tablespoon butter (2 tablespoons for 4 servings).
7. Using a chef’s knife, halve lobster tails lengthwise. Divide rice between shallow bowls and top with coconut curry, lobster tails, fried shallot, scallion greens and remaining cilantro. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use frozen lobster tails?

Yes, thaw them completely in the refrigerator before cooking. Pat dry with paper towels before adding to the curry.

What can I substitute for seafood stock concentrate?

You can use 1/2 cup of fish or chicken stock reduced by half or omit it and add a splash more coconut milk.

Is this dish very spicy?

No, the curry is mildly spiced from the curry powder and sweet chili sauce. For more heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a sliced Thai chili.