Kerala Fish Curry
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA SUMMERIntroduction
This tamarind-tangy curry makes for a perfect dinner on a hot night; light enough not to knock you out, but spiced enough to prompt a heat-drowsy appetite. And it is such gloriously easy food to make.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
This tamarind-tangy curry makes for a perfect dinner on a hot night; light enough not to knock you out, but spiced enough to prompt a heat-drowsy appetite. And it is such gloriously easy food to make.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 4-6
- 1¼ kilograms firm white fish
- salt
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions (halved and cut into fine half moons)
- 2 long red chillies
- 4 centimetres piece of fresh ginger
- 1 pinch of ground cumin
- 1 x 400 millilitres tin coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon tamarind (or 2 tablespoons concentrated)
- 1 tablespoon fish stock concentrate
- 2¾ pounds firm white fish
- salt
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions (halved and cut into fine half moons)
- 2 long red chiles
- 1 inch piece of fresh gingerroot
- 1 pinch of ground cumin
- 14 fluid ounces tin coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon tamarind (or 2 tablespoons concentrated)
- 1 tablespoon fish broth concentrate
Method
- Cut the fish into bite-sized chunks, put them into a large bowl, and rub with a little salt and 1 teaspoon turmeric. Heat the oil in a large, shallow pan and peel and tip in your fine half-moons of onion; sprinkle them with a little salt to stop them browning and then cook, stirring, until they've softened; this should take scarcely 5 minutes.
- Cut the whole, unseeded chillies into thin slices across (although if you really don't want this at all hot, you can deseed and then just chop them) and then toss them into the pan of softened onions. Peel the ginger and slice it, then cut the slices into straw-like strips and add them too, along with the remaining teaspoon of turmeric and the cumin. Fry them with the onions for a few minutes.
- Pour the tin of coconut milk into a measuring jug and add a tablespoon of tamarind paste and the fish stock concentrate, using boiling water from the kettle to bring the liquid up to the litre mark. Pour it into the pan, stirring it in to make the delicate curry sauce. Taste and add more tamarind paste if you want to. And actually you can do all this hours in advance if this helps.
- When you are absolutely ready to eat, add the fish to the hot sauce and heat for a couple of minute until it's cooked through but still tender.
- Cut the fish into bite-sized chunks, put them into a large bowl, and rub with a little salt and 1 teaspoon turmeric. Heat the oil in a large, shallow pan and peel and tip in your fine half-moons of onion; sprinkle them with a little salt to stop them browning and then cook, stirring, until they've softened; this should take scarcely 5 minutes.
- Cut the whole, unseeded chillies into thin slices across (although if you really don't want this at all hot, you can deseed and then just chop them) and then toss them into the pan of softened onions. Peel the ginger and slice it, then cut the slices into straw-like strips and add them too, along with the remaining teaspoon of turmeric and the cumin. Fry them with the onions for a few minutes.
- Pour the tin of coconut milk into a measuring jug and add a tablespoon of tamarind paste and the fish broth concentrate, using boiling water from the kettle to bring the liquid up to the litre mark. Pour it into the pan, stirring it in to make the delicate curry sauce. Taste and add more tamarind paste if you want to. And actually you can do all this hours in advance if this helps.
- When you are absolutely ready to eat, add the fish to the hot sauce and heat for a couple of minute until it's cooked through but still tender.
Additional Information
For gluten free make sure the fish stock concentrate is gluten free.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The curry sauce can be made a day ahead. Store, covered, in the fridge until needed. Return to the pan and reheat over a low heat until just boiling, then continue with the recipe. Leftovers of the fish curry will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Transfer leftovers to the fridge as soon as possible and within 2 hours of cooking. Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat until piping hot. But please note that the fish will break up into smaller flakes on reheating.
For gluten free make sure the fish stock concentrate is gluten free.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The curry sauce can be made a day ahead. Store, covered, in the fridge until needed. Return to the pan and reheat over a low heat until just boiling, then continue with the recipe. Leftovers of the fish curry will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Transfer leftovers to the fridge as soon as possible and within 2 hours of cooking. Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat until piping hot. But please note that the fish will break up into smaller flakes on reheating.
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Show more commentsI made this tonight! Had everything but fish stock, so substituted a tablespoon of fish sauce. It did require quite a bit of additional salt at the end, but otherwise was a very bright, cheery supper.
Wonderful receipe, easy, tasty...thank you!
This recipe is so good, it's almost unreal! The sauce is a perfect balance of spicy, savory, and sour. The lemon rice (suggested with this dish in the book) adds just the right touch and really makes it sing. I have made this with halibut and with prawns. Both are divine. Follow it with something cool or exotic (Grasshopper Pie, Meringue Gelato Cake, Apricot and Almond Cake, or Forgotten Cookies) and you have the perfect evening with friends!
I came across this recipe a few months ago and make it regularly now as it is easy and fabulous. I know my fishmonger so feel very comfortable using the lowly tilapia here for its lightness and ability to hold its shape. I once bought the tilapia from another source and didn't do my due diligence on freshness and had to throw the curry out as it really does depend on absolutely fresh fish. Be bossy at the fish counter and this curry will pay you back! I like the ideas below about using coconut oil and kodampuli so will try those. I happen to have kasoori methi (fenugreek leaves) so sprinkle some on at the very end. Thanks for this great recipe!
Had it on a warm sunny evening and it was fabulous! Bought the book this afternoon and this was the first recipe we tried. Had it with the lemon rice as suggested in the book - all really tasty. Can’t wait to try more of the recipes.
Delicious curry. I was making for 3 people so I halved the recipe and used coconut cream instead of half a tin coconut milk. Added veg so we wouldn't get scurvy but it was clean bowls all round. Tasty and super easy
A winner of a curry! Really easy to make, and the flavour of the tamarind is beautiful with the fish. I have made it with hake and monkfish successfully.
A very tasty fish curry soup. However, it was a bit too spicy so next time I will use less chillies. I use fresh cod fillet and added fresh cilantro/coriander at the end. I know the recipe asked for 2 3/4 lb fish but I only had 2 lbs which in the end I found to be more than enough. Also, if you want this dish to be less soupy and more thick, I would fill cup that has the coconut milk/tamarind/fish stock to maybe equal 2 cups instead of 1 litre. 1 litre is about 4 1/4 cups.
hot diggety dog!! I have barely put down my spoon and feel compelled to share the ecstasy I am in right now having just eaten this phenomenal curry!! Wow. Delightful. Delicious. Scrummy! Tamarind is heavenly. I took the advice of another commenter and used coconut oil as opposed to veg oil - really worked well. I also didn't have enough fish (smoked haddock) so topped up with some wild mushrooms pre-fried with garlic (added at the same time as the fish). Textures complemented each other nicely I thought (if I do say so myself). This one is coming out at the next soiree no doubt xx
This is one of my go to meals! I have tried with Monk Fish and Prawns and they worked a treat!
Tried this today using prawns. Wonderful!
For better taste...adding coconut oil instead of the vegetable oil and using garcinia gummi gutta (Kerala Kudampuli) instead of Tamarind.