Keralan Fish Curry

Name: Keralan Fish Curry
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: rapeseed/canola oil, for frying; 2 tsp mustard seeds; 4 sea bass fillets (300–400g/10½–14oz each) (any other white fish will also work); 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; 16 dried kokum (black mangosteen) (or 2 tbsp tamarind pulp as a substitute); 2 tsp red chilli powder; 4 tsp ground coriander; pinch of ground turmeric; 800 ml/28 fl oz/scant 3½ cups coconut milk; 300 g/10½ oz fresh tomatoes, sliced; 50 g/1¾ oz fresh root ginger, julienned; 8 green chillies, slit; 16–20 curry leaves; 500 g/1 lb 2 oz onions, finely sliced; 1 tsp fenugreek seeds; salt, to taste

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Yatra

By Rohit Ghai

Published 2025

About

Originating from the tropical south coast of India, Keralan-style fish curries often feature creamy coconut milk. I like to serve this with plain rice or chapatis.

Ingredients

rapeseed/canola oil, for frying
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fen

Asia
India
Fish course
Pescatarian
Gluten-free
Kerala

Method

To make the sauce, heat a splash of oil in a pan. When hot, add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves, and stir until they start to crackle. Add the onions and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for another 3–4 minutes.

Add the kokum (or tamarind pulp), red chilli powder, ground coriander and turmeric, and s