Ecuadorian · lunch, dinner

Encocado de Pescado (Ecuadorian Fish in Coconut Sauce)

Encocado de pescado

Encocado de Pescado (Ecuadorian Fish in Coconut Sauce) — from KWA's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 3:18

Video by KWA on YouTube, in Spanish · Open on YouTube

40 minServes 4469 kcal a serve
  • Low carb (8.3 g net carbs) but not keto: 54% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
  • Pescatarian
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Contains: Fish. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

About 44 g protein and 8 g net carbs a serve from fish gently poached in homemade coconut milk with onion, garlic and pepper, a filling, low-carb main that keeps blood sugar steady.

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Ingredients 12

Method

The cook speaks Spanish; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.

  1. Cut the fish into fillets or steaks and season each piece on both sides with salt and pepper. 0:11
  2. Heat the achiote oil in a wide pan, add the garlic, red and white onion and green capsicum and fry into a soft refrito. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. 0:28
  3. Pour in the second (thin) coconut milk and let it simmer and come together with the refrito. 0:57
  4. Lay the fish in the sauce and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, spooning sauce over it and turning the pieces carefully once. 1:04
  5. Add the first (thick) coconut milk and keep stirring gently, without boiling hard, until the sauce is creamy and the fish is cooked through. 1:41
  6. Finish with chopped coriander and serve each piece of fish covered in sauce. 1:59

Tip. Serves 4 (our estimate from 2 lb fish). Canned coconut milk (one can, part diluted with water) replaces the homemade milks. In Esmeraldas it comes with rice and green plantain patacones; a salad or avocado keeps it lighter.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 4

Energy469 kcal1,960 kJ
Protein44 g88% of a day
Fibre1.1 g4% of a day
Carbohydrate9.4 g8.3 g net · 2.3 g sugars3% of a day
Fat28 g16 g saturated36% of a day
Sodium550 mg24% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 7%
  • Protein 38%
  • Fat 55%

Very low carb: under 10% of the energy is from carbs.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Selenium High135%

74 µg a serve, mostly from white fish (92%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Vitamin B12 High83%

2 µg a serve, mostly from white fish (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Omega-3 High80%

1.3 g a serve, mostly from achiote oil (72%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Vitamin B6 High40%

0.7 mg a serve, mostly from white fish (75%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Magnesium High28%

116 mg a serve, mostly from white fish (66%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin E High23%

3.4 mg a serve, mostly from achiote oil (51%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Iron High22%

3.9 mg a serve, mostly from first coconut milk (50%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Vitamin C Source17%

15 mg a serve, mostly from green capsicum (46%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Potassium Source16%

750 mg a serve, mostly from white fish (59%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Zinc Source16%

1.8 mg a serve, mostly from white fish (62%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin K Source12%

15 µg a serve, mostly from achiote oil (48%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Show the other 4
Vitamin D9%

1.8 µg a serve, mostly from white fish (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Folate9%

36 µg a serve, mostly from white fish (40%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Calcium5%

67 mg a serve, mostly from white fish (38%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Vitamin A3%

30 µg a serve, mostly from white fish (72%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by KWA; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.