Goan Fish Curry (Indian
This famous Goan fish curry comes to you from Goa, a little pocket of Indian paradise that's all about the sun, surf, sand and excellent seafood! Deeply aromatic with a tomato and coconut based sauce, this recipe has a few more spices and steps than the more home-style recipes you'll find online because this aims to replicate the richer sauce and layers of flavour you get at (good) Indian restaurants.
Ingredients
CURRY PASTE
- 2 ½ tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder Note 1
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp fenugreek powder Note 2
- ⅜ tsp ground cloves
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 2 tbsp tamarind puree Note 3
- ½ red onion chopped
- 6 tbsp water plus more, as needed
CURRY
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds Note 4
- ½ red onion cut in half again (like a quartered orange) and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ⅔ cup canned tomato pulp/polp Mutti, OR tomato passata or crushed tomato, Note 5)
- ⅔ cup water
- 400 ML coconut milk full fat (Note 6)
- 1 ¼ tsp salt cooking/kosher (or 3/4 tsp fine table salt)
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp chilli powder pure chilli, not US Chili Powder which is a mix, Note 7
- 2 long green chillies cut into half lengthwise and deseeded, optional (Note 8)
- 1 tomato cut into 8 wedges then into 2.5cm / 1" chunks
- 600 g fleshed white fish cut into 3cm / 1.25" cubes (Note 9)
GARNISHES / SERVING:
- ¼ cup fresh coriander/cilantro leaves
- ▢ Finely sliced green chillies optional
- ▢ Basmati rice
Instructions
CURRY PASTE:
- Place Curry Paste ingredients in a tall jug or milkshake container (something that fits the head of a blender stick) then blitz on high for 5 to 10 seconds until the onion is pureed. Add more water if needed to make it puree.
CURRY
- Sizzle black mustard seeds: Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add black mustard seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds - careful, they might pop!
- Saute onion: Add red onion and cook for 3 minutes until edges start to tinge with gold.
- Cook off curry paste: Add curry paste and cook for 3 minutes - to evaporate water, make spices bloom and cook garlic & ginger.
- Cook off tomato: Turn heat up to medium high. Add tomato paste and tomato pulp, cook for 2 minutes.
- Coconut milk: Add water, coconut milk, sugar, salt and chilli powder if using. Stir, then bring to simmer, low heat so it's bubbling gently.
- Simmer 2 minutes, add tomato & green chilli: Simmer for 2 minutes, add tomato and green chilli.
- Simmer 3 minutes: Simmer for another 3 minutes, stirring every now and then - sauce should be thickened (not watery), it gets looser again when fish is added (because fish will drop some juices = even more flavour!).
- Add fish: Add fish, stir, cook for 3 to 4 minutes until fish easily flakes.
- Garnish & serve: Remove from stove and transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with coriander/cilantro and fresh green chillies if desired. Serve with basmati rice!
Notes
This recipe is sponsored by Mediterranean Supermarket