Plento Pasto CookbookEast African Coconut Curry Tilapia with Sukuma Wiki Greens
⏱ 20 min
🍽 Serves 4
≈ $8.90 ($2.23/serving)
novice
Why this fits a family on a budget
Tilapia is one of the most affordable fresh fish fillets available at US grocery stores, and stretching it in a coconut tomato sauce with greens and rice keeps each serving around $2.20, well within your $3 target. The whole meal comes together in a single skillet in 20 minutes with simple stir-and-simmer steps any novice cook can follow confidently.
Ingredients
• 1.25 pounds tilapia fillets
• 1 can (13.5 oz) canned coconut milk
• 0.5 pound (1 bunch) fresh kale or collard greens
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon (grated) fresh ginger
• 1 can (14.5 oz) canned diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1.5 teaspoons curry powder
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric
• 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander
• 0.75 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups (dry) instant white rice
• 1 whole lime
Instructions
1. Cook the instant rice according to package directions (typically 5 minutes boiling water plus covered standing time). Set aside, covered, to keep warm.
2. Rinse the kale or collard greens, remove the tough center stems by tearing the leaf away from the stem, and chop the leaves into rough 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
3. Pat the tilapia fillets dry with a paper towel, then cut them into 2-inch chunks. Season the pieces evenly with 0.25 teaspoon salt and the black pepper on both sides.
4. Dice the onion into small pieces. Mince the garlic. Grate the ginger using a fine grater or the small holes of a box grater.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes until softened and lightly golden at the edges.
6. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, curry powder, turmeric, and ground coriander. Stir constantly for 45 seconds until very fragrant and the spices coat the onions — the mixture will look dry and golden.
7. Pour in the canned diced tomatoes with their juices and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook for 2 minutes until the tomatoes break down slightly and the sauce thickens.
8. Pour in the coconut milk and the remaining 0.5 teaspoon of salt. Stir well and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat — small bubbles should appear around the edges but it should not be a rolling boil.
9. Add the chopped kale or collard greens to the simmering sauce and stir them in. They will look like too much but will wilt quickly. Cook for 2 minutes until they begin to soften and turn a deeper, brighter green.
10. Gently nestle the seasoned tilapia chunks into the sauce in a single layer. Do not stir vigorously. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the fish is opaque white all the way through and flakes easily when pressed with a fork.
11. Squeeze the juice of the lime over the entire pan. Taste the sauce and adjust salt if needed. Serve hot over the cooked instant rice.
Contains: fish. Always double-check labels for your household's allergies.
Cost is a national-average estimate and varies by store and region.
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This recipe was generated by Plento Pasto's AI from a library of family-friendly dishes and reviewed for a real photo before publishing. Cooking times, costs, and nutrition are estimates — use your judgment in the kitchen.
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