Fish Stew with Tahini, Coconut Milk, etc.

(for one -- multiply freely for however many)

1 lb Halibut
2 cups water (or so?)
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
2 green onions
1 big tblsp sesame tahini
1/4 tsp shallot powder
dash of white pepper
1/2 cup coconut milk (or more to taste)
juice of 1 very small lemon
6 dashes grated allspice
4 dashes grated cardamom
6 dashes grated mustard seed
three drops of hot pepper flavored sesame oil

In a soup pot, bring fish, salt and water to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add green onions. Add tahini, white pepper and shallot powder. Stir gently to mix well. You may need to pay special attention to getting the tahini stirred in as it can be pasty in texture. Simmer until fish is cooked through. In the last few minutes of simmering, add coconut milk and lemon juice; and, if desired, add water to get liquid to preferred consistancy. Add grated spices and hot pepper oil. Adjust spices to taste. Serve immediately.

Notes on ingredients:

Spices -- Most spices are grated because I avoid any that I think could potentially have some kind of flour in them. However, even if you aren't as strict about avoiding grains as I am, try them that way if you haven't yet. They taste so much better than the packaged kind, you won't believe it. Shallot powder is made from dried ground shallots (onion family) and can be found at Middle Eastern markets. Hot pepper flavored sesame oil can be found at Asian markets.

Fish -- This calls for Halibut; but Cod or any white fish would do. I just throw it in the pot frozen. Take care not to overcook the fish. It is cooked through when it has gone completely opaque white and breaks up with a fork (no transparent spots). It gets tough if over-cooked.

From: Katie Bretsch on the PaleoFood list. Posted 6 April 1999.