Kerala Style Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

By -
Kerala, besides being one of the most scenically blessed places in India, is also considered the land of culinary heritage. The never-ending coastline of this exotic state is bestowed with nature's culinary treasures that include but, are not limited to tall groves of coconut, palm and jackfruit....and that is one of the primary reasons coconut oil, coconut cream and coconut milk make for an indispensable part of the Malayali cuisine. Besides, an extensive network of this serene coastal region also produces fish and other seafood in abundance, which needless to say, contributes to the staple gastronomic scene of Kerala.

When talking about Kerala, how can I forget mentioning about the state's opulence in spices and herbs: cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, cloves and turmeric, have been some of the extensively grown spices here since ancient times. Therefore, the heat in food of Kerala is kind of self-explanatory. Having said that, I would also like to mention here an interesting point about the traditional Malayali Cuisine; the cooking and preparation of dishes work well in accordance with the principles of Ayurveda which primarily focuses on maintaining a perfect balance between six tastes: sweet, sour, pungent, salty, bitter and astringent....and that typically provides for a reason why tamarind or kokum is used considerably in preparation of curries.

Now, after a slight insight into the palatable side of Kerala, let's get to one of the most popular recipes of the state, Fish Curry with Coconut Milk. Authentically, this curry makes only a slight use of tomatoes, but I have used more of them just to suit my North Indian taste buds. If you are looking for the authentic taste, reduce the quantity of tomatoes to 1 and increase the quantity of thick coconut milk to 1 cup. Listed below is the full recipe with ingredients and steps.       


Kerala Style Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

Ingredients

Seer fish (Surmai) steaks - 4 to 6
Thin coconut milk (second extract) - 1/2 cup
Thick coconut milk (first extract) - 1/2 cup
Medium sized onion (finely chopped) - 1
Tomatoes (chopped) - 2
Garlic (chopped) - 3 to 4 cloves
Ginger (chopped) - 1 inch
Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder - 2 tsp
Deghi red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Whole dried red chilies - 2 to 3
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Water - as needed

For fish marination

Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Fenugreek powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp


Kerala Style Fish Curry with Coconut Milk


Kerala Style Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

Method

1. Begin by marinading the fish. Combine all ingredients under marination. It will form a thick paste.
2. Wash and pat dry the fish pieces and rub this paste nicely on each one of them. Keep in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
3.  Once the fish is marinaded, heat oil in a pan. Gently add in the fish pieces and fry till they are slightly browned from both the sides. Dish them out and keep aside.
4. In the same oil, add dried whole red chilies, mustard, fenugreek and cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add chopped ginger, garlic and curry leaves. Saute them for a while, after which add chopped onions.
5. Cook the onions till they turn golden brown. Next add all dry spice powders except salt. Saute till the raw flavor of spice powder goes away.
6. Next add chopped tomatoes. Cook covered with a lid until oil separates from the sides.
7. Now, add the thin coconut milk along with fried fish pieces. Simmer the fish for 5 to 7 minutes.
8. To finish off the curry, add thick coconut milk and let it cook for another 2 to 3 minutes (you can adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding some water at this point of time). Switch off the flame and mix in the salt. Keep the curry covered with lid for 10 minutes so that all flavors are blended together.   

This fish pairs extremely well with steamed/ boiled rice. For a change, I served it with some lemon rice and poppadom on the side. Trust me, the combo made for a heavenly treat for all of us in the family.


Kerala Style Fish Curry with Coconut Milk


Kerala Style Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

If you have liked my post, do share your feedback in the comments section below and give a thumbs up to my Facebook Page. You can now also follow me on twitter and Instagram.

- Anshu

Comments

  1. SumanAugust 2, 2019 at 12:20 AM

    You're my favorite food blogger. Your recipes are awesome and this one is no exception. I am grateful to you for making me a good cook. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnshuAugust 2, 2019 at 10:14 AM

      Oh ! I am overwhelmed. Thank you so very much !!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thanks for stopping by. Your comments, suggestions and feedback are always welcome.

Regards

Popular posts from this blog

Best Homemade South Indian Sambar Recipe

By -
Image
A hearty stew made with yellow lentils, vegetables and heaps of aromatic spice powder, Sambar is a staple served with all the meals at every South Indian household. The flavorful lentil curry tempered with aromatic curry leaves, mustard seeds and whole dried red chilies makes for a delectable accompaniment whether having hot idlis , vada, dosa or even plain steamed rice. It won't be incorrect to say that while sambar is majorly known for its tongue-tickling taste, it is also packed with a lot of health benefits; toor dal lends it that much needed dosage of protein, the vegetables provide it with all the essential vitamins and minerals and lastly, addition of hing and tamarind loads it with immune-boosting properties. Having said that, every household has its own recipe of making sambar. Some like it to have thick, others a bit runny. Some like the chunkiness of vegetables whereas others like their sambar to be smooth. Some like it on a tangier side, others with just a hint ...
Read more

Perfect Instant Homemade Bhatura Recipe | How to Make Bhatura

By -
Image
Bhatura is a leavened, puffed deep fried bread made from Maida or All Purpose Flour. A popular recipe from the Punjabi cuisine, it is mainly served with spiced chickpea curry such as Pindi Chholey and Amritsari Chholey . Traditionally, bhatura is made using fermented dough, which is rested for minimum of 6 hours and has a peculiar tang to it. However, when you are short of time and crave for this delicious Chole Bhatura combo, these instant bhaturas come to your rescue. Quick and easy to prepare, they use Eno Fruit Salt as the leavening agent and trust me, that lends the bhaturas with that perfect crispness on outside and perfect fluffiness on the inside. If you can't lay your hands on eno, alternatively, you also have the option to use baking powder and baking soda. Without wasting any time further, let's start with the recipe. Perfect Instant Bhatura Recipe | How to Make Bhatura INGREDIENTS Maida/All Purpose Flour - 2 cups Sooji/Semolina - 2 tbsp ...
Read more

Paneer Dhaniya Adraki Korma | Cottage Cheese in Coriander-Ginger Flavored Yogurt Sauce

By -
Image
Loaded with goodness of ginger and coriander, "Paneer Dhaniya Adraki Korma" is simply a gastronomic treat for all paneer lovers. This simple yet exotic delicacy can be made in just a few minutes and definitely counts amongst few special recipes that can be served in dinner parties, get-togethers or festive meals. Needless to say, kids love it because of mild spices and a rich texture. A keeper recipe for sure, do try my version of it once and I promise, you would not be disappointed. Paneer Dhaniya Adraki Korma Ingredients Paneer (Cottage Cheese, cubed) - 250 grams Thick curd/yogurt (nicely whisked) - 1 cup Fresh cream - 1 tbsp Coriander paste - 1 tbsp Ginger paste - 1 to 2 tsp Refined flour - 1 tsp Chopped coriander - a handful Green chilies (chopped) - 1 tsp Salt - as per taste Black pepper corns - 3 to 4 Cloves - 2 to 3 Bay leaf - 1 Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsp Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp Garam masala po...
Read more

Instant Moong Dal Idli Recipe | How to Make Instant Moong Dal Idli

By -
Image
Idli is one of the healthiest Indian breakfast options by far. These soft, pillowy and melt-in-mouth lentil cakes are traditionally made by fermenting rice and urad dal batter overnight; however, the entire process could be quite cumbersome and involves a little amount of planning ahead. Therefore, instant versions of idlis come very handy when you want to have something quick and yet wholesome and healthy in the breakfast . And especially when it comes to me, I am a big fan of instant recipes, be it instant sprouted moong dal dosa , instant rava & oats idli or instant dhokla , you would find me making these items very frequently as they are not only very quick to make and save you a hell lot of time in the kitchen but, at the same time are quite tasty as well as wholesome. Moong Dal Idli Recipe | How to Make Moong Dal Idli Talking about the instant moong dal idli , as I said it is a very quick and easy recipe and doesn't require an...
Read more

Burani Raita Recipe | Spiced, Garlic Flavored Yogurt

By -
Image
Burani Raita is a famous Indian accompaniment to spicy biryanis and pulaos. A Hyderabadi specialty, it uses some thick yogurt that is mixed with few pounded cloves of garlic and some basic spice powders like red chili and roasted cumin, which lend it that much-needed hint of spicy kick. Not to mention, when it comes to making the Burani Raita, it is no more than a five minutes process and makes for an ideal side dish to go along with any kind of rice preparation or even chapati & sabzi combination. Ideally, this utterly flavorful and aromatic raita only has to it, some pounded raw garlic, however, I have given it a slight twist by topping it with some fried garlic bits and some red chili oil for extra flavoring. This step is totally optional and you can skip it altogether by sticking to the traditional way of making it. So, not wasting any time further, lets move on to the recipe.... Burani Raita Recipe | Garlic Flavored Spiced Yogurt INGREDIENTS Thick y...
Read more

Chicken Rara | Rara Chicken | Rara Murgh

By -
Image
Chicken Rara or Murgh Rara is a popular North Indian chicken curry preparation wherein chicken is cooked and served in a spicy and lip-smacking chicken mince gravy. A proper restaurant style dish, it is best enjoyed with some hot phulka or plain boiled rice. Let's see how it is made... OTHER CHICKEN RECIPES TO TRY... KASHMIRI STYLE CHICKEN YAKHNI CHICKEN KEEMA MATAR MASALA CHICKEN SHAAMI KEBAB INGREDIENTS Chicken (on bone, curry cut) - 500 grams Chicken mince - 300 grams Finely chopped onions - 3 medium Finely chopped green chilies - 3 to 4 Pureed tomatoes - 3 medium Ginger paste - 1 tbsp Garlic paste - 2 tbsp Ghee - 2 tbsp Cooking oil - 2 tbsp Curd - 1/2 cup Salt - to taste Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder - 2 tsp Garam masala powder - 1 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsp Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Bay leaf - 2 Cloves - 4 to 5 Black pepper corns - 8 to 10 Black cardamom - 1 Green cardamom - 3 to 4 Kas...
Read more

Dhaba Style Besan ki Phulki wali Kadhi

By -
Image
Kadhi is a popular delicacy from the Indian cuisine that is made using gram flour and yogurt as a base. Having said that, the recipe of this luscious and beautiful curry differs from region to region and from every household to household. Coming from the Punjabi family, for us, Kadhi Pakoda has always meant a sour and spicy kadhi, which essentially has the soft onion or palak/spinach fritters dunked into the luscious gramflour-yogurt gravy. And I guess, most of the Punjabi households make the kadhi in a similar manner...  However, if you have ever had kadhi at a dhaba or a street-side restaurant, you would have noticed that the pakodas added in the kadhi doesn't make use of onions, spinach or any other vegetable.  The pakodas are more like phulkis (plain and soft gramflour dumplings), which are spiced with just a handful of spices and some ginger for the rustic flavor. Despite of that the kadhi is simply delectable and the spicy tadka with whole lots of crushed dhaniya see...
Read more