Goa with its vast coastline is known for its plethora of seafood preparation which has influenced the food habits of the region. Fresh fish is aplenty so it is cooked frequently in every Goan home and enjoyed with rice, fried fish and, a vegetable. We had our first taste of this curry during our visit to Goa. It was sitting in the back of mind since then so I knew I had to make it.
Goan fish curry is great for weekday meal as it doesn’t take a lot of prep or cook time and yet, it turns out as one of those special meals.
Traditionally the fresh caught fish is cooked with a curry Paste made from flesh of the fresh coconut, kashmiri red chillies and few more ingredients. I don’t have a fresh coconut scraper, so I used the store bought frozen shredded fresh coconut. When making this curry paste you need a high speed blender to blend it to a very smooth consistency. Although, you can use canned coconut milk, it really is worth when you do it the traditional way. Once the curry paste is made it’s pretty hard to mess up. This curry paste works perfectly with variety of seafood and not just fish. It can be made up to 7 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for future use.
The curry gets it’s gorgeous orangish red color from Kashmiri red chilies. They vary quite a bit in spiciness, so taste and add more chilies if you want to raise the heat levels just a little. If you can’t find dried Kashmiri chilies you can replace it with paprika and cayenne. This is a deeply flavorful curry that is mild on the tongue and gets delightfully tangy flavor from the addition of either tamarind, kokum, bilimbi, raw or dried mango. It’s the tangy-ness that really sets Goan curries apart. There are also versions made with tomatoes, but I prefer tamarind.
As for fish- this is quite flexible. In Goa it is often made with mackerel, here I’ve used black cod, but feel free to swap tilapia, seabass, halibut or even prawns. The curry tends to thicken as it rests, so adjust the quantity of gravy accordingly. This curry is best served hot over a bed of steamed rice and a vegetbale dish on the side.
An aromatic fish curry from the coastal state of Goa.
Ingredients
- 850 g firm fish (I used 8 skinless wild cod steaks)
- 1 cup fresh grated coconut
- 10-12 Kashmiri chilies (2 tsp red chili powder)
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- 1" piece ginger
- 1 tsp black pepper corn
- 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 50 gm seedless tamarind
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 10-15 curry leaves
- Coconut oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water. Leave aside to soften for 10 minutes. Then using your fingers squeeze the tamarind to release its pulp. Strain the tamarind mixture through a sieve, pressing as much pulp and juice as possible. Discard the fibers.
- Place red chilies in a bowl and cover with boiling water then leave to soak for about 10 minutes.
- While the chilies are soaking toast the coriander seeds and cumin by tossing them in hot, dry frying pan over a medium heat for 1 minute.
- Put the chilies (with water), toasted seeds, ginger, garlic, shredded coconut and tamarind water in a jar of high speed blender and blend to a smooth paste. Add more water if needed. Set aside.
- If using fish fillet, cut into 2" pieces. Then set aside.
- Heat coconut oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
- Add the curry leaves, stir till they splutter and release their aroma.
- Then add the sliced onion. Fry until soft and lightly golden, then stir in ground coconut masala paste and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it releases an aroma and the oil begins to float on top, about 5 minutes. Add water (as needed), stir, close the lid and bring the curry to the boil.
- Once boiled, check seasoning and add salt if needed. Slide in the fish fillets until they are totally immersed in the curry, reduce heat to medium low and let the fish cook gently for 5 -10 minutes without stirring. Turn off the heat and allow flavors to develop for at least 15 minutes before serving with steamed white rice.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
Looks so delicious and flavourful! Love the presentation too!
Loretta
As a Goan, I give you full marks on the explanation and the curry itself.:) Indeed Goans love their curried seafood. Love the color you’ve presented and you’re absolutely right, there’s a slight sourness to Goan fish curries that sets them apart from other curries. I’ve made a few Goan fish curries on the blog, and this week, I will also be featuring a Goan shellfish curry. Well done Balvinder!
Patrick@looneyforfood.com
This sounds delicious and so quick and easy! Perfect for weeknights for sure
Adina
Wonderful recipe, I love fish curry and I make it quite a often considering that my children don’t like either fish or curry. 🙂 They are stuck with the rice, they love that. But I am not giving up, they always have to try whatever it comes to the table and I am sure they will learn to love it as they grow up. I love this version with grated coconut, I have never used that in a savory dish.
Abbe@This is How I Cook
What a lovely recipe. I love tamarind and coconut and have no doubt these compliment the fish well.Thanks!
Katerina
I love the addition of coconut and it is always so interesting to learn more about local kitchens and dishes!
natalia20041989
I love curry so much☺
Monika Dabrowski
This is just gorgeous, amazing flavours and I love the presentation too! By the way, I tried to pin it but wasn’t letting me, this has happened before when I’ve tried to pin your stuff, just thought I’d let you know.
Balvinder
Thanks for letting me know, Monika! I will look into it though I seriously don’t know why this has happened. I haven’t made any changes to my blog.