Tamarind Fish Curry – Healthy Indian

Ready in

35 mins

Cuisine

Indian · South Indian

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

25 min

Serving

4 People

Difficulty

Easy

Calories / Serving

~450 kcal

Spicy Level

Spicy
Recipe by Chetna Makan on YouTube
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Measurements
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All Ingredients

Main Ingredients

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow each step to make the recipe successfully.

  1. Prepare Onions

    Finely chop 2 medium onions.

  2. Heat Oil and Temper Mustard Seeds

    Heat 1 tablespoon of mustard oil (or oil of choice) in a pan over medium heat until it becomes smoky.

  3. Add Mustard Seeds

    Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds to the hot oil and let them sizzle until they start to pop.

  4. Add Curry Leaves

    Add a handful of fresh curry leaves and stir for a few seconds until fragrant.

  5. Sauté Onions

    Add the chopped onions and cook slowly on low-medium heat for until they are lightly golden.

  6. Prepare Ginger and Garlic

    While the onions are cooking, grate 3 cloves of garlic and a 1-inch piece of ginger.

  7. Add Ginger and Garlic

    Once the onions are golden, add the grated ginger and garlic and cook for a couple more minutes until fragrant.

  8. Add Dry Spices

    Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of chilli powder (adjust to taste), and 1 teaspoon of ground coriander. Mix all the spices well with the onion mixture.

  9. Incorporate Tamarind Paste

    Stir in 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste until fully combined with the spices.

  10. Add Coconut Milk

    Pour in a 400ml can of coconut milk and stir to combine, creating the curry base.

  11. Simmer Curry Base

    Cover the pan with a lid and the curry base on low heat for .

  12. Prepare Fish

    While the curry , cut 700g of cod fillets (or any white fish) into chunky pieces. Ensure pieces are chunky to prevent them from disintegrating during cooking.

  13. Season Fish

    Season the fish pieces with a pinch of salt, turmeric powder, and chilli powder, gently rubbing the spices into the fish.

  14. Adjust Curry Consistency

    Add 150-200ml of boiling water to the curry base and stir to achieve the desired consistency. Using boiling water prevents cooling down the curry.

  15. Add Fish to Curry

    Gently add the seasoned fish pieces to the curry. Avoid stirring too vigorously.

  16. Prepare Coriander Garnish

    Chop a handful of fresh coriander leaves for garnishing the curry.

  17. Garnish and Serve

    Sprinkle the chopped fresh coriander leaves over the curry. Serve the tamarind fish curry hot with rice.

Before You Cook

Helpful details before you start
Ingredient SubstitutionsMissing something? View suitable alternatives.
View 6 swaps

  • No Onion?

    • 1 tbsp onion powder (per medium onion)
    • 3 tbsp dried minced onion
    • Shallots or leeks (1:1)

  • No Curry leaves?

    • 1 bay leaf + a pinch of lemon zest — Aroma only — flavor is unique.

  • No Garlic (fresh)?

    • 1/4 tsp garlic powder (per clove)
    • 1/2 tsp garlic granules (per clove)

  • No Tamarind paste?

    • 1 tbsp lime juice + 1 tbsp brown sugar (per 1 tbsp paste)
    • Pomegranate molasses (1:1)

  • No Coconut milk?

    • Equal parts heavy cream + 1/2 tsp coconut extract
    • Whole milk + 1 tsp coconut oil (per cup)

  • No Cilantro?

    • Flat-leaf parsley (1:1, milder)
    • Fresh mint (in chutneys, salads)
AllergensThis recipe contains fish and coconut.
FishCoconut

Variations

Simple ways to adapt this recipe.

  • Use any firm white fish fillets like cod

    Haddock, or pollock.

  • Adjust chilli powder quantity according

    Adjust chilli powder quantity according to your spice preference.

Helpful Tips

Small details that can improve the final result.

  • Flavour tipLet Mustard Oil Get Smoky

    Let mustard oil get smoky before adding seeds to temper its strong flavor.

  • Cooking tipAvoid Over

    Stirring the fish once added to prevent it from breaking apart.

  • Cooking tipUse Boiling Water When Adding

    Use boiling water when adding to the curry base to maintain the temperature and prevent cooling down the curry.

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