Kerala Coconut Fish Curry
This is the curry that simmers in clay pots up and down the Kerala backwaters, fragrant with curry leaves and softened by coconut milk. The tamarind keeps it lively, while a final tempering of mustard seeds and shallots lifts the whole pot. Serve with plain rice and let the sauce do the talking.
Ingredients
- 600g firm white fish fillets, cut into large chunks
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 20 fresh curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1.5 teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder
- 400ml coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste, loosened with warm water
- Sea salt, to taste
Method
- Warm the coconut oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop, then add the shallots and half the curry leaves. Fry until the shallots turn pale gold.
- Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for a minute until the raw edge fades. Add the turmeric and chile powder and stir for ten seconds.
- Pour in the coconut milk along with 150ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer and season with salt.
- Slide in the fish chunks in a single layer. Spoon the sauce over them and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, without stirring too much, until the fish is just cooked through.
- Stir in the tamarind and taste for balance, adding more salt or tamarind as needed. Scatter the remaining curry leaves over the top.
- Rest the curry off the heat for five minutes so the flavors settle, then serve with steamed rice.