Coconut Cod Fishsticks

Coconut Cod Fishsticks | Dr Heidi Lescanec

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Crispy crunchy fish sticks – Yum! And good for you too! The breading here is gluten-free and super simple. First, the fish are dipped in egg or tapioca flour/ water, coated in unsweetened shredded coconut and finally cooked in coconut oil until crispy and golden. I like the cold water fish rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids for this dish – cod, salmon or halibut are all great. Just note these latter two fish are a bit more fatty, so the texture will be more tender whereas cod is a bit more firm and dry which means it holds up a bit more with handling, so perhaps give it a try for your  first time making the recipe. These fish sticks go well with a number of dipping sauces. You can try a peanut sauce, plum sauce, chutney, mango salsa, traditional tartar sauce or the Sriracha Mayo
below. This is a fish story you can believe!

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 lbs wild cod
  • 2 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened,
    finely cut*
  • 3/4 cup tapioca flour plus 4 Tbsp of water
    OR 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp sea salt

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

  • 5 Tbsp mayo or mayo
    substitute (I like soy-free
    Vegenaise)
  • 1 Tbsp sweet chili or sriracha
    sauce
  • 1 tsp lime or lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp tamari or 1/8 teaspoon of
    salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Wash fish and pat dry. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon sea salt and ground pepper. Cut into sticks and put back in fridge.
  2. In a bowl, mix flour and water (OR egg) until blended, adding chili powder and remaining ½ teaspoon salt until well-combined.
  3. In a separate shallow bowl, measure out shredded coconut. (*If you have the large flake kind, you can make them finer by buzzing for a few seconds in a blender or food processor – the finer kind coats better as a “breading”.)
  4. Place fish sticks in the flour/water or egg mix, coating well, then dip in coconut flakes, pressing the flakes into the fish.
  5. Heat coconut oil in a cast iron pan on high heat. Once oil is hot, add the first batch of fish sticks so that there is space around them. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side (depending on thickness of fish and heat of pan).
  6. Serve with a dipping sauce.

    From the sPRING 2016 issue of Ecoparent Magazine (www.ecoparent.ca) available in hard copy at Chapters/Indigo, Nature’s Fare Markets, Whole Foods, and other independent newsstands and baby stores. Dr. Heidi is a regular food and health contributor to Ecoparent.

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