Goan Fish Curry

Name: Goan Fish Curry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: South Indian
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) firm white fish fillets or steaks (halibut, cod or kingfish), patted dry, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces, bones removed; ½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric; ¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt; 2 tbsp (30 g) seedless tamarind pulp, torn into small pieces; ¼ cup (60 ml) hot water, just boiled; 1 cup (80 g) grated fresh or frozen coconut, thawed and drained if frozen; 8 whole (10 g) dried Kashmiri red chilies, stems removed; 1 tbsp (6 g) coriander seeds; 1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds; ½ tsp (1 g) black peppercorns; 6 cloves (18 g) garlic cloves, peeled; 1 inch piece (15 g) fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped; ½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric; ¼ cup (60 ml) water, cool, for blending; 2 tbsp (30 ml) coconut oil or neutral oil; 1 medium (150 g) medium yellow onion, finely chopped; 2 whole (10 g) green chilies, slit lengthwise, stems left on; 1¾ cups (one 13.5-oz can) (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well; 1 cup (240 ml) water; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tangy, fiery coastal curry of firm white fish simmered in a fresh-ground masala of toasted coconut, Kashmiri chilies and spices, brightened with tamarind and softened with coconut milk. Serve with steamed rice.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 5 min
Makes: About 5 cups curry (4 servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the fish
1½ lb (680 g) firm white fish fillets or steaks (halibut, cod or kingfish), patted dry, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces, bones removed
½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric
¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt
For the tamarind
2 tbsp (30 g) seedless tamarind pulp, torn into small pieces
¼ cup (60 ml) hot water, just boiled
For the masala paste
1 cup (80 g) grated fresh or frozen coconut, thawed and drained if frozen
8 whole (10 g) dried Kashmiri red chilies, stems removed
1 tbsp (6 g) coriander seeds
1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds
½ tsp (1 g) black peppercorns
6 cloves (18 g) garlic cloves, peeled
1 inch piece (15 g) fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric
¼ cup (60 ml) water, cool, for blending
For the curry
2 tbsp (30 ml) coconut oil or neutral oil
1 medium (150 g) medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 whole (10 g) green chilies, slit lengthwise, stems left on
1¾ cups (one 13.5-oz can) (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well
1 cup (240 ml) water
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)

Equipment (6)

Wide 10-inch (25 cm) deep skillet or 3-quart (3 L) saucepan with lid
Small dry skillet for toasting spices
High-speed blender or spice grinder with small jar
Instant-read thermometer
Wooden spoon
Fine-mesh strainer

Steps

Before you start

Use a firm white fish that holds together in a simmering sauce, such as halibut, cod, kingfish, or mahi-mahi. Pat it dry and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces.
The fish is safely cooked when the thickest piece reads 145°F (63°C) on an instant-read thermometer, so have the thermometer ready.
Kashmiri chilies give deep red color with moderate heat. If you use hotter dried chilies, start with 4 and add more to taste.
Frozen grated coconut works well; thaw it in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes, then drain before using.
Shake the coconut milk can well before opening so the cream and liquid are blended. Start cooking rice while the curry simmers so everything is ready together.

1
Marinate fish, soak tamarind
- Place the fish pieces in a bowl and toss gently with the ½ tsp turmeric and ¾ tsp salt.
- Refrigerate.
- In a small bowl, combine the tamarind pieces with ¼ cup (60 ml) just-boiled water.
- Let both sit for 15 minutes, then mash the tamarind with your fingers or a spoon and press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the fibers and seeds.
- You should have about ⅓ cup of thick brown tamarind liquid.
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Ready when: Tamarind pulp is fully softened and falls apart when mashed
Tip: Don't marinate the fish longer than 30 minutes or the salt will start to firm and dry the flesh.
2
Toast the spices
- Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the dried chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns.
- Stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate to cool for a minute.
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Ready when: Spices smell nutty and fragrant, cumin is a shade darker, and chilies are slightly puffed and crisp
Tip: Pull the pan off the heat the moment the aroma turns sharp; scorched chilies and coriander make the curry bitter.
3
Grind the masala
- Add the toasted spices, grated coconut, garlic, ginger, ½ tsp turmeric and ¼ cup (60 ml) cool water to a blender.
- Blend on high for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides once or twice, until a thick, very fine paste forms.
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Ready when: Paste is deep red-orange and smooth, with no visible bits of chili skin or coconut shreds
Tip: If the blades spin without catching, add water 1 tablespoon at a time.
4
Soften the onion
- Heat the oil in a 10-inch (25 cm) deep skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, for 7 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just beginning to turn pale golden at the edges
5
Fry the masala
- Scrape the masala paste into the pan and add the slit green chilies.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Raw spice smell is gone, paste darkens slightly, and oil begins to glisten around the edges
Tip: Stir without stopping; coconut paste sticks and scorches quickly.
6
Build and simmer the sauce
- Stir in the strained tamarind liquid, coconut milk, 1 cup (240 ml) water and the remaining salt (about ½ tsp).
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring once or twice.
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Ready when: Sauce is the consistency of light cream and coats the back of a spoon, with a bit of red oil on the surface
Tip: Keep it at a gentle simmer; hard boiling can cause coconut milk to split.
7
Poach the fish
- Taste the sauce and add salt if needed.
- Nestle the marinated fish pieces in a single layer in the sauce, spooning some over the top.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 minutes, without stirring.
- Gently swirl the pan once halfway through.
- Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest piece of fish; it must read at least 145°F (63°C).
- If not, cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes more and check again.
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Ready when: Fish is opaque throughout, flakes easily with a fork, and reads 145°F (63°C) at the thickest part
Tip: Don't stir with a spoon, which breaks up the fish; shake or swirl the pan instead.
8
Rest and finish
- Turn off the heat and leave the pan covered for 5 minutes so the flavors settle and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Taste once more for salt and tang.
- Add a splash of hot water if too thick.
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Ready when: Sauce clings lightly to the fish and tastes balanced: tangy, spicy and rounded by coconut
Tip: The curry tastes even better after resting; it keeps well for an hour on the back of the stove.
9
Serve
- Scatter the cilantro over the curry.
- Ladle into shallow bowls with hot steamed rice, spooning plenty of sauce over the fish.

Good to know

Tips

Grind the paste as finely as you can; a smooth masala gives a silky sauce.
Tamarind brands vary in sourness, so taste at the end and balance with a pinch of salt or sugar if needed.
Use a wide pan so the fish sits in one layer and cooks evenly.
For more heat, leave in the green chili seeds or add 2 more dried chilies to the masala.

Make ahead

Make the masala paste up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. You can also cook the sauce through step 6 a day ahead; refrigerate, then reheat to a gentle simmer and add the fish.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 1 hour. Refrigerator: airtight up to 2 days (flavor improves overnight). Freezer: sauce freezes up to 2 months, though fish texture is best fresh. Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water until the fish reaches 165°F (74°C); do not boil.

Substitutions

firm white fish fillets or steaks (halibut, cod or kingfish) → Large peeled shrimp or salmon steaks. Shrimp need only 3 to 4 minutes of poaching and should be opaque and pink; salmon should reach 145°F (63°C).
seedless tamarind pulp → Juice of 1½ limes plus 1 tsp sugar, or 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate diluted in ¼ cup water. Add lime at the end off the heat; use less concentrate, as it is stronger, and adjust to taste.
grated fresh or frozen coconut → Unsweetened desiccated coconut, soaked 10 minutes in ¼ cup hot water. Use ¾ cup (60 g) dry coconut; the paste will be slightly less fresh tasting.
dried Kashmiri red chilies → 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder. Skip toasting the chilies and add the powder to the blender.