Goan White Fish Curry
Cook Time: ~30 mins
Indian cooking can be overwhelming due to the long list of ingredients, the prep time, and the culmination of a series of small and intricate tasks. This Goan fish curry is relatively simple to prepare and doesn’t hold back on flavour and spice.
It balances a bold flavour profile that contains deep spice, aromatic warmth, and an element of sweet and creamy richness. It should possess that kind of body-warming heat that builds slowly throughout consumption. Ingredients like lime and coriander brighten the dish with a citrusy tang— complemented by the acidity of the tomato. The result is a silky, fragrant, and deeply spiced curry with a satisfying complexity, where heat, umami, and freshness come together harmoniously.
Serves: 2
Prep: ~15 minutes
Cook: ~15 minutes
Ingredients
Cod loin (~500g)
Basmati rice (1 cup)
Plum tomatoes (x6)
Bay leaves (x3)
White onion (x2)
Coriander (25g)
Coconut milk (400ml)
White sugar (1 tbsp)
Wet Paste Mix
Garlic cloves (x10)
Thumb of ginger
Birds eye chilli, red (x8)
Scotch bonnet (x1)
Dry Spice Mix
Coriander seeds, ground (1 tsp)
Curry powder (1 tsp)
Cumin (1 tsp)
Chilli powder (1 tsp)
Coriander powder (1 tsp)
Marinade for Fish
Turmeric (1 tsp)
Curry powder (1 tsp)
Black pepper
Juice & zest of one lime
Salt (1 tsp)
Olive oil
Notes
Fish: I use cod loin here, but you can use monkfish, hake, or other thick white fish.
Heat: I add the spice to my personal tastes, but you can tone it down if required.
Serving size: If you double up the portion of fish, this will serve four easily.
Equipment
Large pot
Mixing bowl
Blender
Mise En Place
Chop the plum tomatoes into small cubes.
Slice the white onion finely.
Peel the garlic and ginger and blend alongside the birds’ eye and scotch bonnet chilli until a paste is formed. Add a little olive oil if needed.
Combine the dry spice mix of ground coriander seeds, curry powder, cumin, chilli powder, and coriander powder.
Cut the fish into equal-sized cubes, and cover them with the marinade, salt, and black pepper. Mix well and ideally chill for a few hours.
The Cook
Grab a large pot, add olive oil, set the heat to medium and cook down the onions for 3-5 minutes until soft. Stir in the wet paste mix of chilli, ginger and garlic and stir. Add the chopped plum tomatoes and cook for ~2 minutes to let them soften.
Add the dry spice mix, bay leaves, coconut milk, a tablespoon of white sugar, and salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients and let cook for 2 minutes.
Empty the contents of the pot into a blender and blitz until smooth— removing the bay leaves and setting them aside.
Once smooth, reintroduce the curry to the pot, bring to a boil and reduce to a light simmer. At this point, taste the curry and apply seasoning where necessary.
Add your marinaded fish and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until the fish is flakey, soft, and cooked.
Serve with a generous portion of basmati rice, limes, and a hearty sprinkling of coriander.
If you attempt this dish, let me know how it goes, and if you variate the recipe in any way. This newsletter relies upon word of mouth, so if you know someone who would enjoy this recipe please share it.
Thanks for reading,
Conor