Sepik River Smoked Fish & Sago/Rice Coconut Stew – Authentic Papua New Guinea Recipe
Rich river-style braise infusing flaky fish and greens with lemongrass and coconut.
- Country of Origin
- 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea (Melanesia, Oceania)
- Dietary Profile
- pescatarian
- Prep Time
- 15 min
- Cook Time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Signature Staples
- Smoked or seared fish fillets, Taro cubes, Leafy greens, Coconut milk, Lemongrass
Ingredients for Sepik River Smoked Fish & Sago/Rice Coconut Stew (4 Servings)
- 1.25 lbs (or 2.5 cups) smoked or seared fish fillets, prepped into bite-sized pieces
- 1.5 cups taro cubes, washed and trimmed
- 1 cup leafy greens
- 1 medium onion and 3 cloves garlic, finely minced with coconut milk
- 1.5 tbsp traditional Papua New Guinea seasoning (lemongrass, ginger, red chili)
- 2.5 cups rich culinary stock or aromatic cooking liquid, plus 2 tbsp cooking oil
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
- Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat; brown smoked or seared fish fillets for 5 minutes.
- Add minced onion, garlic, coconut milk, and lemongrass, ginger, red chili, stirring for 2 minutes until deeply aromatic.
- Add taro cubes and pour in the braising liquid; bring to a lively simmer.
- Cover and braise over medium-low heat for 20–22 minutes until meltingly tender and the sauce is rich and glossy.
- Stir in leafy greens right before serving warm.