Thai peanut sauce and coconut milk add an intriguing flavor to tilapia. For this recipe, they are simmered to gently coat the fish.

Peanut sauce is the base for many Thai dishes and is made from roasted peanuts, soy sauce and spices. I choose a thick one when it is available. Coconut milk is made by mixing shredded coconut with boiling water, letting it steep and then straining it. Fortunately, both peanut sauce and coconut milk are available ready-made.

Serve this dish with basmati rice. It would go nicely with the hearty Thai beer called Singha.

Thai Tilapia With Peanut-Coconut Sauce

Makes 2 servings

2 tablespoons peanut sauce

3/4 cup light coconut milk

2 teaspoons canola oil

3/4 pound tilapia fillet

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

3 cups washed, ready-to-eat spinach

Mix peanut sauce and coconut milk. Set aside. Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet. Add tilapia and saute 3 minutes, turn and saute 3 more minutes. Add salt and pepper and remove to plate.

Add sauce mixture and spinach to skillet and boil 2 minutes or until the spinach wilts. Spoon sauce over fish and serve with rice.

Per serving (without rice): 286 calories, 14 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 83 milligrams cholesterol, 35 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 359 milligrams sodium

Recipe analysis provided by the Miami Herald.

Shopping list

1 bottle peanut sauce; 1 can light coconut milk; 3/4 pound tilapia fillet; 1 package washed, ready-to-eat spinach; and 1 package basmati rice