Name: Coconut Fish Curry
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 4 x 8oz/250g thick cut pieces of cod; Salt and pepper to taste; rapeseed (canola) oil for shallow frying; FOR THE MARINADE; 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste; 1/2 tsp flaky salt; 1/2 tsp white pepper; 2 tbsp smashed cream cheese; 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt; 2 green bird's eye chillies - finely chopped; 3 tbsp coriander (cilantro) finely chopped; 2 tbsp double cream; FOR THE SAUCE; 2 tbsp coconut oil or rapeseed (canola) oil; 1 tsp mustard seeds; 10 fresh or frozen curry leaves; 1 onion - finely chopped; 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 3 green bird's eye chillies - slit down the middle; 400ml (1 1/2 cups) coconut milk; Honey to taste (optional); 5cm (2" ) piece of ginger, julienned; Salt to taste; Lime wedges to serve

Jump to Recipe

You can fry or stew the fish in this coconut fish curry.

This coconut fish curry recipe I first tried in Kerala. The chef fried the fish before adding it to the creamy coconut sauce but stressed that that was his interpretation of the very popular south Indian curry. So you don't have to fry the fish if you are watching the calories but I have to say it is very nice done that way with the light marinade that goes with it. If adding raw fish to the curry sauce, you don't need to marinate it first.

About this recipe.

Coconut fish curry done this way is out of this world delicious. You rub a light marinade, there isn't much of it, right into the flesh of the fish. The marinade includes a little cream cheese which crisps right up when fried.

While the fish is marinating, you prepare the coconut sauce. This sauce is sweet, sour, spicy and savoury, everything you could want in a delicious coconut fish curry!

If you decide not to marinate and fry the fish, you could just add chunks of cod or another meaty fish to the simmering sauce at the end of cooking and let it cook through. Both versions are very good.

Is this coconut fish curry difficult to make?

Not at all. In fact, you prepare the curry like you do most authentic curries made from scratch.

You can leave out the frying of the fish which makes it even easier and of course less messy but I hope you try this coconut fish curry the way I like it. The fried fish really is a bonus!

Can you work ahead?

If it is more convenient for you, you could prepare the sauce one to two days ahead of serving. In fact, the ingredients will develop as it sits in the fridge and it will be even better. Then all you need to do is heat it up and add the fish.

You can also fry the fish, if frying, up to a few hours before adding it to the sauce.

Make this recipe your own.

This coconut fish curry is exactly as I learned it. You could have some fun and adjust the flavours to taste though. Feel free to add more chillies or chilli powder if you like it spicier.

You should always taste as you cook. Get the seasoning just right along with the perfect balance of sweet, sour, spicy and savoury flavour.

How long can you store this coconut fish curry in the fridge?

Fish is best when it's fresh so I recommend storing any leftovers in the fridge for no more than one or two days.

Then just heat it up in a pan until hot enough to serve.

Can you freeze leftovers?

Although you can, it will never be quite as good as when freshly made. Coconut milk and cream do not freeze well and the texture will change.

I recommend refrigerating leftovers and consuming in one to two days.

Step by step photographs.

The ingredients for the curry laid out on a countertop. — Get all your ingredients together and ready before you start cooking.

Preparing the marinade in a pestle and mortar. — Prepare the marinade by mashing all the marinade ingredients together. There isn't much of it.

Marinating the fish for frying. — Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste and then cut it into large chunks about a bite and a half in side. Rub the marinade right into the flesh.

Frying the marinated fish. — Heat about an inch of oil in your pan over a high heat. When it begins to bubble, add the fish in small batches to fry and brown some. You don't need to cook it through. Just colour it some.

Frying the mustard seeds and curry leaves to infuse their flavour into the oil. — Transfer the fried fish to a plate and set aside. Then heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to crackle, stir in the curry leaves and cardamom pods.

Adding the onions and chillies to the pan to fry until soft and translucent. — Stir in the chopped onions and fry for about 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent and soft.

Adding the garlic and ginger paste and the ground turmeric. — Stir in the ground turmeric, chillies and garlic and ginger paste and fry for 30 seconds.

The curry base, bright yellow in colour. — Your base will look like this. Golden yellow and it will smell fantastic.

Adding the coconut milk to the pan. — Add the coconut milk and bring it to a simmer.

Adding cream to the sauce. — Add cream to taste. I add about 70ml (1/4 cup).

Adding the fish to the pan of simmering sauce. — Place the fish into the sauce to cook and heat through.

Like the look of this coconut fish curry? Why not try some of these?

Keralan Fish Curry
Keralan Prawn Curry
Coconut and Chilli fish curry
Sri Lankan Fish Curry

Yield: 4