Thai Fish In Coconut Milk For Babies

When you prepare food for your baby, you know what goes into it. This dish is perfect for babies 9 months onwards. Read on for the healthy recipe.

A gentle first fish dish, adapted from a Thai base by removing the two things that make it Thai and unsuitable for a baby: the fish sauce and the chilli.

Why no fish sauce. It’s extremely high in salt, and babies under one need very little: their kidneys can’t handle much. This is the adaptation that counts, and it’s the one most often skipped when a family recipe gets given to a baby.

Coconut milk, ginger, lime and coriander give it plenty of flavour without it.

Ingredients

Makes 2–3 baby portions. From around 6 months.

150g white fish fillet: cod, snapper or threadfin. Skinless, and checked meticulously for bones
100ml coconut milk
1cm ginger, finely grated
1 small clove garlic, finely grated
2 tbsp finely chopped sweet potato or carrot, for body and sweetness
A squeeze of lime at the end, and a few coriander leaves, finely chopped
No salt, no fish sauce, no chilli

Method

Check the fish for bones: properly, with your fingers, in good light. Then check again. This is the most important step in the recipe.
Simmer the sweet potato or carrot in the coconut milk with the ginger and garlic for about 8 minutes, until soft.
Add the fish and simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes, until it flakes and is opaque all the way through. Don’t let it boil hard. Coconut milk splits and fish toughens.
Take off the heat, add a squeeze of lime and the coriander.
Check for bones once more as you break up the fish.
Adjust the texture: see below.

Texture by age

6–7 months: blend smooth, or mash thoroughly with a fork
8–10 months: mash roughly, leaving some soft lumps
10 months+: flaked, served with soft rice or noodles to pick up

Choosing fish for a baby

Good choices: cod, snapper, threadfin, sea bass, salmon. Mild, soft, and low in mercury.
Avoid entirely: shark, swordfish, marlin and king mackerel: high mercury, and not for young children.
Limit tuna, particularly the larger species.
Always cooked through. No raw or lightly cooked fish for babies or young children.
Fish is a common allergen. Introduce it on its own first, earlier in the day, so any reaction is attributable. Current guidance favours introducing allergens early instead of delaying them.
Bones are the real hazard, more than anything nutritional. Buy fillets, check by hand, and check again after cooking.

Notes

Coconut milk is fine for babies in cooking. It isn’t a milk substitute. Breast milk or formula remains the main drink until 12 months.
Freeze in an ice cube tray and use within a month. Reheat thoroughly and cool before serving.
Add a little more of the family’s version later: as your child gets older, a small amount of chilli and fish sauce brings it back towards the original.
Serve something with vitamin C alongside if the meal is iron-focused; here it’s the lime doing part of that job.

Frequently asked questions

When can babies eat fish?

From around six months, thoroughly cooked and checked carefully for bones. Introduce it on its own first, earlier in the day, so any reaction can be attributed. Fish is a common allergen and current guidance favours early introduction over delay.

Which fish are safe for babies?

Cod, snapper, threadfin, sea bass and salmon are mild, soft and low in mercury. Avoid shark, swordfish, marlin and king mackerel entirely, and limit tuna. Everything must be cooked through: no raw or lightly cooked fish.

Why no fish sauce in a baby version?

It’s extremely high in salt, and babies under one need very little because their kidneys can’t handle much. Coconut milk, ginger, lime and coriander bring the flavour without it.

Is coconut milk safe for babies?

In cooking, yes, from around six months. It isn’t a substitute for milk. Breast milk or infant formula remains the main drink until twelve months.

How do I make sure there are no bones?

Buy fillets, not steaks, check by hand in good light before cooking, and check again as you break the fish up afterwards. This is the most important step in the recipe and the one to take your time over.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, in an ice cube tray, and use within a month. Reheat thoroughly and let it cool before serving.

What to remember

White fish, coconut milk, ginger, a little sweet potato. No salt, no fish sauce, no chilli.

Simmer gently: 8 minutes for the vegetable, 4 to 5 for the fish. Lime and coriander off the heat.

And check for bones twice. That’s the part of this recipe that matters.