Salmon sa Gata - Fish in Coconut - Instant Pot + Stove-top

Salmon sa Gata - Fish in Coconut is a typical Filipino all-in-one meal of fish and vegetables cooked in coconut milk. The broth is flavored with fresh ginger, garlic , onions and spiked with bird's eye chilies. Vegetable greens are added to the thick coconut broth surrounding the salmon. If you prefer, I also offer the traditional stove-top way of cooking in the procedure below.

*Cooking time indicated here is for the Instant Pot. It takes a few minutes longer for cooking stove-top.

Prep Time20

Cook Time7

Total Time27

Course: Dinner, Fish, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian, Filipino

Keyword: Instant Pot Salmon Coconut Vegetables

Servings: people

Calories: 662kcal

Author: Asian in America - Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Equipment

Instant Pot - 6 qt. or 8 qt.
Large sauce pan - for stove-top cooking

Ingredients

3/4 pound salmon fillet
1 teaspoon salt to marinate fish
1 teaspoon ground black pepper to marinate fish
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic
1 medium onion chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 whole tomatoes sliced in quarters
2 Tablespoons patis (fish sauce)
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1 to 2 pieces siling labuyo (bird's eye chilies) optional
1 cup coconut milk canned or fresh
1 cup sliced green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups baby spinach
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
boiled rice for serving

Instructions

Prepare salmon fillet by marinating it with a teaspoon each of salt and black pepper for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.

To cook in the Instant Pot

Click Saute function on the keypad.
Add oil to the inside pot. After 1 to 2 minutes, when oil is hot, saute the garlic, onions and fresh ginger.
Add the tomatoes and the patis. Mix ingredients to blend.
Add the salmon fillet. Pour the broth. Add the siling labuyo (bird's eye chilies).
Click Cancel to turn off Saute function.
Close and lock the lid in place. Set the steam release valve to a Sealing position.
Click Manual and cook on High Pressure for 7 minutes.
When the buzzer sounds to announce cook time is done, do a NPR (natural pressure release) for 5 to 8 minutes, allowing the steam to come down on its own.
When the float pin drops, it is safe to unlock and carefully open the Instant Pot.
Add the coconut milk, green beans, and spinach. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir gently to blend everything.
Return the lid and lock in place.
Press Keep Warm function for 8 minutes so vegetables cook and coconut milk flavor sets in.
Press Cancel to turn off. Unlock and open the lid. Serve dish warm with rice.

To cook on the stove-top

Marinate the fish. In a large saucepan, add the oil. Saute the garlic, onions, ginger, tomatoes and patis (fish sauce). Add the salmon fillet and chilies. Pour the broth. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes.
When salmon is cooked completely, pour the coconut milk. Add the green beans and spinach. Season with salt and black pepper.
Cover and continue cooking for 8 minutes more for vegetables to cook. Serve warm with rice.

Notes on the Instant Pot

After the initial Saute function, it takes about 17 minutes for the Instant Pot to preheat before the High Pressure cooking time begins. For other multi-cookers/pressure cooker brands, please consult the product manual.

Nutrition