Fish cooked in tomato and coconut gravy, mint leaves made this fish curry aromatic…
I stepped out a bit from my comfort zone and made this fish curry. Whenever I make fish curry, I follow the usual Kerala style fish curry preparation methods. It gets hard for me to try a different kind of fish curry. So, this time I tried making the fish curry a little differently. Instead of making a paste with grated coconut alone, I added tomatoes to it. Also, I added mint leaves which is quite unusual in fish curries. Yes, I said no to curry leaves and cilantro. My hubby and I loved this fish curry and was served along with Idiyappam (Steamed Kerala style rice noodles).
For Idiyappam recipe, click here.
Preparation Pictures
After adding tomato-coconut paste
Making fish curry
- Tomatoes, chopped- 2
- Grated coconut- ½ cup
- Small onions- 4
- Whole Peppercorns- ½ tsp
- Cumin seeds- ½ tsp
- Water- ½ cup
- Fish, cubed- 10 to 12 pieces (use mild tasting fish like tilapia, bass, red snapper)
- Coconut oil- 1 tbsp
- Sesame oil- ½ tbsp
- Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds- ½ tsp
- Dried red whole chilies, halved- 2
- Onion, chopped- 1
- Green chilies, chopped-1 or 2
- Fresh tamarind juice- 3 inch slice tamarind soaked in ½ cup warm water
- Chili powder- ¾ to 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder- ⅛ tsp
- Coriander powder- 1½ tsp
- Ground pepper- ⅛ tsp
- Garam masala- ½ tsp
- Mint leaves, chopped- 4 large leaves
- Warm water- 1 cup
- Salt- 1½ tsp
- In a blender, grind the ingredients mentioned "for making paste" into a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
- Soak fresh tamarind in lukewarm water for 5 minutes, squeeze the tamarind in the water well, strain the juice and keep it aside.
- Cut the fish into cubes or 2 inch slices. I used bass fish.
- Place a large saucepan over medium heat, add both coconut oil & seasme oil, let oil turn hot.
- Add mustard seeds, let it splutter.
- Add fenugreek seeds and the halved dried red chilies, saute for a few seconds.
- Add onions and chopped green chilies, season with ½ tsp salt and saute till onions turn translucent.
- Add the ground tomato-coconut paste, combine well and cook for a few minutes.
- Add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, ground pepper and 1 tsp salt, combine well and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the tamarind extract, combine well.
- Add 1 cup warm water, combine well.
- Let the gravy come to a slight boil.
- Taste and add more salt and chili powder if needed for more spice.
- Add the fish into the gravy.
- Add the chopped mint leaves.
- Cook covered for a few minutes till the fish has cooked well.
- Open the lid and sprinkle garam masala over the fish curry.
- Cook for a couple more minutes, remove the pan from the heat and keep it covered for sometime.
- Serve this fish curry with rice, idiyappam, pathiri, orotti, chapati etc
