Fish Curry Recipe | Indian Fish Masala

Method15 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Coat the 500 g firm fish with the marinade half-tablespoon ginger-garlic, ⅛ tsp turmeric, ¼–½ tsp Kashmiri chili and ¼ tsp salt. Sear promptly rather than leaving the fish at room temperature.

   Uses 500 g fish · 0.5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste · 0.125 tsp turmeric · ¼–½ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder · 0.25 tsp salt

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat the separate 1 tbsp fish-searing oil in a flat pan. Sear the marinated fish about 2–3 minutes on each side until the ginger-garlic no longer smells raw; the fish need not be cooked through. Reserve these same pieces.

   Uses 1 tbsp oil · same 500 g fish coated in marinade spices

3. 3

   Step 3: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pot and add cumin. When they sputter, add onions (1 cup) and saute until lightly golden.

   Uses 1 tbsp oil · 0.5 tsp cumin seeds · 1 cup onion

4. 4

   Step 4: Next add ginger garlic paste (0.5 tbsp) and saute for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes (¾–1 cup) & ½ tsp salt. Saute until tomatoes turn soft and mushy.

   Uses 0.5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste · ¾–1 cup tomatoes · 0.5 tsp salt · onion sautéed in its own tablespoon oil

5. 5

   Step 5: Add only the chosen 2 tbsp grated coconut OR ¼ cup coconut milk OR 12 cashews, or omit all as allowed by the author. Add optional fennel, the masala 1 tsp chili and ⅛ tsp turmeric. Fry the same onion-tomato mixture until fragrant.

   Uses two tablespoons grated coconut ONLY chosen coconut route · quarter cup coconut milk ONLY chosen milk route · twelve cashews ONLY chosen nut route · 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder · 0.125 tsp turmeric · 0.5 tsp fennel seeds · ginger-garlic fragrant and tomatoes softened with salt

6. 6

   Step 6: Cool the cooked masala completely, then blend with the separate 2–4 tbsp blend water to a coarse or smooth paste. Extra blend water may be added only if needed.

   Uses 2–4 tbsp blending water · water (extra only if needed to blend or adjust gravy) · same masala with chosen coconut/nut route and powders

7. 7

   Step 7: Heat the separate 1–2 tbsp curry oil in the same pot over low heat.

   Uses 1–2 tbsp oil

8. 8

   Step 8: Add only the dry curry-leaf (1 sprig) sprig OR small bay leaf, plus the green chili (1–2), to the warm curry oil.

   Uses 1 sprig curry leaves OR 1 small Indian bay leaf · 1–2 green chili · separate one to two tablespoons heated gently

9. 9

   Step 9: When the leaves splutter, add the blended onion-tomato paste from 6 and 1–1½ tsp garam masala. Taste and use separately listed extra chili only if desired.

   Uses 1–1½ tsp garam masala · Kashmiri red chili powder (extra only to taste when frying curry paste) · chosen leaf aromatic and chili sizzling in curry oil · same cooled masala blended with separate 2–4 tbsp water

10. 10

    Step 10: Saute until the mixture smells good.

    Uses same blended paste with garam and optional extra chili

11. 11

    Step 11: Pour 1 ¼ to 1½ cup water. Mix and bring it to a boil. Cook until you see traces of oil on the surface and the gravy thickens a bit.

    Uses 1¼–1½ cup water · paste cooked until aromatic

12. 12

    Step 12: Gently slide the same lightly seared fish from 2 into the thick cooked gravy. Cover and cook over medium heat.

    Uses gravy boiled and reduced before fish added · same fish only partly cooked by searing

13. 13

    Step 13: Carefully flip or turn the pieces to the other side after 3 to 4 mins.

    Uses same seared fish added to cooked gravy

14. 14

    Step 14: Continue gently until the fish is fully cooked and flakes easily when tested with a fork. Avoid overcooking so the pieces stay intact. Taste the cooked curry and adjust using the separate extra salt.

    Uses salt (extra only to taste in cooked curry) · same fish turned gently after 3–4 minutes

15. 15

    Step 15: Optionally garnish the finished curry with coriander leaves and serve with rice or chapati.

    Uses coriander leaves (optional final garnish) · same fish cooked until it flakes, seasoning adjusted