South Indian-style fish curry

Name: South Indian-style fish curry
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: Glug groundnut or olive oil; 1 tbsp black mustard seeds; 12 freeze-dried curry leaves; 1 onion, finely sliced or grated; 2 tsp grated ginger; 2 fat garlic cloves, crushed; 1 red chilli, chopped; 2 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; Pinch chilli flakes (optional); 400g vine tomatoes, chopped; 250ml pack coconut cream (we used Blue Dragon); 1 lime, halved, plus extra wedges to serve; 400-500g skinless pollack fillet, cut into 3cm chunks; Fresh coriander leaves to garnish; Steamed rice or warmed naan bread to serve

Published: 30 Apr 19
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

We’ve used pollock in this fish curry recipe but you could use any white fish you prefer. This South-Indian dish is really easy to make and is good for you too!

Prefer Thai curries instead? Our Thai yellow fish curry is made with crab, prawns and cod for a real tastes-of-the-sea showstopper.

Serves 4
Hands-on time 35 min

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Ingredients

Glug groundnut or olive oil
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
12 freeze-dried curry leaves
1 onion, finely sliced or grated
2 tsp grated ginger
2 fat garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, chopped
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
Pinch chilli flakes (optional)
400g vine tomatoes, chopped
250ml pack coconut cream (we used Blue Dragon)
1 lime, halved, plus extra wedges to serve
400-500g skinless pollack fillet, cut into 3cm chunks
Fresh coriander leaves to garnish
Steamed rice or warmed naan bread to serve

Method

Heat a glug of oil in a large frying pan or sauté pan with a lid and fry the mustard seeds and curry leaves until they start to pop and smell fragrant. Stir in the onion, ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for 5-6 minutes over a medium heat. Stir in the ground spices and chilli flakes (if using) and cook for another minute.
Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes (add a splash of water if it looks dry) and continue to cook until the tomatoes break down. Stir in the coconut cream and bring back to a fast simmer, then season and squeeze over the lime (add the rinds to the sauce too for extra flavour). Simmer for 5 minutes more until thickened and rich.
Nestle the fish in the sauce and rest the lid loosely on top. Cook over a gentle heat for a few minutes until the fish is cooked through and opaque. Serve scattered with coriander leaves with rice or naan bread and extra lime wedges.

Recipe from June 2018 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 291kcals
Fat: 19.4g (10.6g saturated)
Protein: 20.2g
Carbohydrates: 7.6g (5.3g sugars)
Fibre: 2.5g
Salt: 0.2g

delicious. tips

Another close relation to cod (and very popular with chefs) pollack is generally sustainable, but because it isn’t a well-known and popular species it’s not always readily available.

You could also use frozen Alaskan pollock (similar, but note the different spelling) with an MSC certification, but the fillets will be much smaller.
Make the base for the curry (up to the end of step 2) a few hours ahead; cover and chill, then reheat before adding the fish.
New Zealand’s aromatic sauvignon blancs are right at home here.

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South Indian-style fish curry

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