Kerala Fish Curry with Coconut {Recipe}

Kerala fish curry is amazing in its taste, flavour, and simplicity. While the fiery red, spicy red fish curry is more popular in Kerala, this version which amma makes that has coconut ground into the base of the fish curry is my favourite. This fish curry with coconut goes really well with rice and all you need is a papadom to go with the meal. While the curry tastes good with any type of fish, I’d recommend white fish with a firm flesh for optimum taste. The curry tastes good as you keep it longer and if you make it in the traditional mud pots in Kerala, the flavour is excellent. You can keep it at room temperature for up to a day and refrigerate for up to three days.

Ingredients:
Kanambu Fish / Mullet or any other medium sized fish with firm flesh – 1/2 kg
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Chilly powder – 1 tbsp (adjust to tate)
Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Jeera powder – 1/2 tsp
Garlic – 4 cloves
Shallots, ulli – 4-6
Tamarind paste – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 strand
Mustard and fenugreek – for tempering
Gingelly oil (Indian Sesame oil) or coconut oil – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste

How to Make Kerala Fish Curry:

1. Grind coconut, pepper, garlic, shallots, turmeric and jeera to a paste with some added water.

2. Heat oil and crackle mustard seeds. Fry fenugreek for a while and add a couple of chopped shallots. Then add curry leaves and chilly powder.

3. Add the gound paste, tamarind salt. Half a cup water may be added at this stage if gravy is too thick. Boil for 2 mins.

4. Add the cleaned and cut fish pieces, close and cook for 10 mins.

5. Serve hot with rice and any thoran.

Note: Replacing tamarind paste with one or two kodam puli (cocum) would change the flavour of the curry. But we use kodam puli only in curries that use no coconut like the Kerala red fish curry.

More Kerala Fish Recipes:
Karimeen Pollichathu
Kerala Fish Fry
Nethili Fry