Stir Fry Monkfish Tail

When people think of a monkfish recipe, they often gravitate towards heavy sauces or French classics. However, because monkfish is so robust, it is actually one of the best candidates for a high-heat stir fry monkfish dish. It doesn’t flake apart like cod or haddock, meaning you can toss it with ginger, garlic, and chillies without ending up with a pan full of mush.

This is my go-to easy seafood dinner when I want something that feels light but remains deeply satisfying. Whether you are using a proper wok at home or a deep frying pan on the campervan’s two-ring hob, the secret lies in prep: get everything chopped before the heat goes on.

Ingredients for the monkfish recipe

Serves 2 | 25 minutes

To make this easy seafood dinner, you’ll need to have everything prepped and ready by the side of your hob. Once the pan is hot, this moves quickly.

• Monkfish Tail: approx. 400g, cut into bite-sized chunks (see how to trim a monkfish tail if yours still has its skin and membrane).
• The Spice Base: 1 tsp coriander seeds, 2 dried red chillies and a pinch of saffron, freshly ground.
• Aromatics: 2 cloves of garlic (finely sliced) and a thumb-sized piece of ginger (julienned).
• Vegetables: 1 red bell pepper (sliced), a handful of sugar snap peas, and 3 spring onions (cut into lengths).
• Liquid: 1 tbsp soy sauce, a splash of dry sherry or Shaoxing wine, and a squeeze of lime.
• Oil: A high-smoke point oil like sunflower or groundnut.

The Method

1. Toast the Spices: Start by dry-toasting your coriander seeds and dried chillies in a hot pan for 30 seconds until fragrant, then grind them in your mortar and pestle with the saffron.
2. Sear the Monkfish: Heat a tablespoon of oil in your wok or large frying pan until shimmering. Add the monkfish chunks in a single layer. Leave them for 2 minutes to get a golden crust—this is the key to that poor man's lobster texture—then toss and cook for 1 more minute. Remove the fish and set aside.
3. Stir-Fry the Veg: Add a little more oil if needed. Throw in the peppers and sugar snap peas. Stir-fry for 2 minutes over high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and your ground spice mix, tossing for another 30 seconds so they don't burn.
4. Combine: Return the monkfish to the pan. Pour in the soy sauce and sherry. Toss everything together for 60 seconds until the sauce coats the fish and the monkfish is just cooked through.
5. Finish: Scatter over the spring onions and give it a final squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately, perhaps with some jasmine rice or simple noodles.

A tip: monkfish is perfect at 60–63°C, opaque white and just starting to flake, and turns rubbery after 63°C, which is why this stir fry is so quick. For the other ways I cook it, from pan and oven to griddle and braise, see my monkfish recipes guide.

If this stir fry monkfish found its way into your kitchen, you can buy me a coffee ☕ — it helps keep the site going.

Footnote

This stir fry monkfish recipe is featured in my Inland Fish and Seafood Hub, a collection of resourceful ways to prepare the sea's bounty from the heart of rural Spain.

Find more recipes and food adventures here.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef