Fish Coconut Curry
Author Notes: Fish Coconut Curry- White flaky fish simmered in sweet and creamy coconut milk, seasoned with fragrant Indian spices, that’s what this recipe is all about- simple and delicious!
Growing up I remember going to this hole-in-the-wall kinda place that served South-Indian non-vegetarian delicacies and one of those was Coconut Fish Curry, and I just LOVED it! Super light fish that was prepared in a coconut milk broth with aromatics and tons of curry leaves and served over a mountain of steamed white rice, that was one satisfying meal!
It took me years of trials and errors to get this recipe right. Since it wasn’t a written down recipe and I was working purely from memory, it took a few experiments but I finally got it to taste almost the same as that awesome fish curry! (Either that, or my subconscious had had enough of experimentation :-)
Watch the video recipe here: https://youtu.be/OFdL_HLCmr4... ; Full recipe and more at: http://garammasalakitchen... —Garam Masala Kitchen
Serves 4
- 1 pound Tilapia filets, cut in 2 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste (1/2 inch ginger + 3 cloves garlic, crushed or ground)
- 10-15 curry leaves (or 2-3 kaffir lime leaves)
- 1/2 medium onion, sliced
- 1/2 green pepper, sliced
- 1/2 orange or yellow pepper, sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder (adjust to your taste)
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 2-3 sprigs of cilantro
- 6-8 fresh mint leaves (Optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice (to be adding before serving)
- Prep: Cut Tilapia in 2 inch pieces. Slice onions and bell peppers. Finely chop ginger-garlic or pulse a few times in a mini-food processor.
- Turn Instant Pot on Sauté. Wait 30 seconds and add oil and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds. Add sliced onions and bell peppers. Sauté another 30 seconds.
- Add all spices, stir well and sauté another 30 seconds. Add coconut milk and mix well. Add Tilapia which is cut in to 2 inch pieces, a few cilantro sprigs and and stir well to coat fish with coconut milk. Optionally, you can add a few mint leaves on top, this gives the coconut curry a very mild and sweet minty aroma, very subtle though.
- Close the lid of the pan and set the pressure valve to 'sealing'. Cook on Manual (high) for 2-3 minutes, depending on how thick the fish filets are. Quickly release the pressure (QR). Finish the curry with a light squeeze of lime and serve with brown rice/white rice or a slice of toasted baguette!
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6 months ago judy
I make aversion of this on a regular basis. I like to smoke the fish. Since I don't have a smoker I marinate the fish in liquid smoke. I miss liquid smoke and milk then put in 2-3"cubes of white fish--I Iike cod or rock fish or halibut. (Never eat tilapia). After aoub an hour, I remove the fish, and put it in fresh poaching milk of good Indian curry powder, chopped garlic and ginger, a dash of cayenne and poach until about 2/3 done. Add peas and spinach or chard. Steam until done. Earlier I would have made brown basmati rice with a whole lot of curry powder and chicken stock. Then I serve the fish over the rice with some poaching milk and serve with my home made apple chutney and wedges of lime. Just amazing. My version of kedgeree I guess. Which is a form of curried fish casserole. (I grew up eating it with tuna.) But the chutney and the smoked fish make the dish!
6 months ago Garam Masala Kitchen
Sounds Delish! I'll try out your version. Thanks for sharing!
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