This amazing and simple Goan fish curry brings back great memories of my stays in Goa. The recipe isn't difficult but you need to be careful not to overcook the white fish.
About this Goan fish curry recipe
This recipe was inspired by a Goan ambot tik curry which is one of my favourite Goan curries. An Ambot tik curry is pretty much the same thing but without the coconut milk. Instead, the sauce is tamarind or kokum based giving them a sour flavour.
So this is a bit of a mix of styles as my recipe does include coconut and coconut oil. You could leave both out and add the same amount of water instead of coconut milk and you would have the popular and famous ambot tik curry.
The great thing is, you can add the coconut milk at the end of cooking so go ahead and try the curry without and with the coconut milk if you like.
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Ingredients
There aren't a lot of ingredients in this Goan fish curry but they all work so well together. To make it easy on yourself, be sure to get all your ingredients ready to add before you start cooking.
- Meat fish such as Kingfish, halibut or cod
- flaky sea salt
- coconut or rapeseed oil
- Cinnamon stick
- fresh or frozen curry leaves
- onion
- green finger chillies
- tomatoes
- tamarind concentrate or kokum
- Salt
- coriander (cilantro)
- FOR THE CURRY PASTE
- dried Kashmiri chillies
- red onion
- garlic
- ginger
- cumin seeds
- whole cloves
- black pepper
- ground turmeric
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by step photographs
You can make this delicious curry in just a few steps. It will be ready in under 30 minutes!
- Step 1: Blend the curry paste ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
- Step 2: Add the coconut oil to a pot over a medium-high heat.
- Step 3: When the oil melts and begins to glisten, stir in the curry leaves and the cinnamon stick. Infuse these into the oil for about a minute.
- Step 4: Stir in the chopped onions and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Step 5: Stir in the blended curry paste.
- Step 6: Bring it all to a simmer and then stirring in the tamarind concentrate.
- Step 7: Push the fish pieces right into the sauce to start cooking.
- Step 8: Cover with the chopped tomatoes and carefully stir the tomatoes into the sauce and around the fish.
- Step 9: Bring the sauce to a simmer and then stirring in the coconut milk. Bring it all to a bubble to finish cooking the fish.
- Step 10: Once the fish is just cooked through, season with salt to taste.
- Step 11: Stir in the chopped coriander (cilantro).
- Step 12: You could serve this garnished with more coriander or fresh curry leaves as they do in Goa. Squeeze lime juice over the curry to taste at the table.
Substitutions
When making a Goan fish curry, there are always ingredients you can substitute and still come out with a curry that is similar to my exact recipe.
- Kokum - Instead of using tamarind concentrate, you might like to add a couple of kokum berries. They are my favourite way to add the sour flavour to the sauce but can be difficult to source. Not only are they sour but they also add a smoky flavour which is delicious.
- Shallots - Shallot or small, baby red onions are a good substitute for the onions which I use in this recipe because they are easy to source.
- Water - Instead of adding coconut milk, give this curry a try without the coconut milk to make an ambot tik. The flavour is quite a lot different but equally as good. Just add the same amount of water instead of the coconut milk.
Equipment
All you need is a good, large pot. If you can find one or have one already, I recommend cooking this curry in a clay pot. Not only does it look great when you serve it but it actually tastes better too.
Storage
You can store any leftovers covered tightly in the fridge for about 2 days. To reheat, bring up to heat gently over a medium heat so that you don't overcook the fish.
Although theoretically you could freeze this curry up to three months, I don't recommend doing so. It just isn't the same. If you do decide to freeze it, freeze in air-tight containers and be sure to label and date them.
Top Tip
Do not let the curry sauce simmer to rapidly once the fish is added. It will fall apart. Instead, bring it to a very gentle simmer and cook, without moving the fish around too much until it is cooked through.
FAQ
Yes. If you do, substitute the same amount of water for the coconut milk. This is called an ambot tik curry when it doesn't include coconut milk.
Goan fish curries are spicy but not blow your mind spicy. They are often made with both dried Kashmiri chillies and green finger chillies. You can add more or less to taste.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
Any of the below side dishes will go great with your Goan fish curry:
Goan Fish Curry
Ingredients
- 500g meaty fish such as Kingfish, halibut or cod
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut or rapeseed oil
- 1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon stick
- 10 fresh or frozen curry leaves
- 1 medium brown onion – finely chopped
- 2 green chillies - sliced lengthwise (more or less to taste
- 200g chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- FOR THE CURRY PASTE
- 10 dried Kashmiri chillies
- 1 medium red onion – roughly chopped
- 6 large cloves garlic – peeled and smashed
- 1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) ginger – roughly chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 6 cloves - smashed
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ tsp turmeric
Instructions
- In a bowl, stir the salt into the fish and set aside while you make the sauce.
- Blend all of the curry paste ingredients with just enough water to make a thick and smooth paste. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium high heat. When hot, add the cinnamon stick and curry leaves and temper them in the oil for about 30 seconds. Then add the onion and fry for about 5 - 7 minutes until lightly browned.
- Add the curry paste and tomatoes and give it all a good stir. Now add enough water to make a gravy that is to your preferred consistency. I used about 250ml (1 cup). Add the green chillies and the fish and push the fish down into the simmering sauce to cook. It should only take about three minutes.
- To finish, stir in the tamarind paste one tablespoon at a time. Tamarind concentrate gives the curry a nice sour flavour. I recommend tasting the sauce after one tablespoon and then adding more if you like.
- Season with salt to taste and garnish with the chopped coriander.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 383Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 970mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 5gSugar: 12gProtein: 52g
Charles says
Hi Dan, my local Indian supermarket has told me that they can't sell curry leaves as they are illegal to import. Is this true?
Dan Toombs says
Hi Charles
I haven't heard that one. I just bought some yesterday. They are brought in but there are also UK growers that supply the shops.
Dan