Fish Curry: Easy Beginners Recipe

Fish curry is a delicious delicacy in most parts of South Asia. Indians, Pakistanis, and Bengalis love fish curry and consider it to be a mouthwatering treat. But if the sound of fish curry doesn’t impress you, get ready to be overwhelmed by this scrumptious curry! My easy and quick fish curry recipe is nutritious, simple, and of course, delicious!

By the end of this post, you’ll learn how to make spicy fish curry like a pro! That’s because I kept the steps simple and straightforward to ensure that beginners can make this Traditional Fish Curry easily!

What is Traditional Fish Curry?

As I mentioned before, fish curry is a staple Asian dish. It can be made in several ways, most of which change from city to city and state to state. Some fish curry recipes call for tamarind, lemon juice, coconut milk, or vinegar, but most retain the basic onion and tomato gravy.

However, my recipe is a basic version, where I use onions and yogurt for the curry base.

Is this recipe an Authentic Fish Curry recipe?

The truth is that the recipe for fish curry varies with area. The ingredients depend on the place from which the recipe originates. My recipe is my own take on a healthy fish curry recipe. And as always, I like to keep things easy! So, even if you are a beginner, you can follow my steps for a spicy fish curry recipe!

Reasons to Love this Recipe

• Easy to Tweak: My recipe is easy to tweak. The ingredients can be changed according to your preference. You can add some coconut milk if you please.
• World Class Recipe: Traditional fish curry is one of those meals that everyone loves! As a matter of fact, it has a huge fan following all over Asia.
• Use the Fish of Your Choice: Just as there are several versions of this recipe, likewise, you can use different fish types for it, too. I have used Red Snapper, or Heera fish but you can use other varieties that you like.
• Kid-Friendly: Are you looking for ways to introduce seafood to your kids? Do you have a picky eater who won’t try anything new? Fish curry is the answer to all your woes! This delicious curry will have your kids asking for seconds!
• Various Serving Suggestions: Do you know what I really like about this dish? You can serve it any way you please! In general, it is eaten with boiled Basmati rice, but you can choose the carb you want to pair it with. Roti, paratha, and even naan. They all pair well with Fish curry.

Things to Remember When Buying Fish

If you’re buying fish for the first time, it can seem daunting. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!

Here are some simple steps you can take to ensure you buy fresh fish:

• Look at the eyes. The fish’s eyes should be clear and shiny. Additionally, if they are cloudy, the fish is not fresh.
• The skin should be moist, shiny, and even slippery or slimy to the touch.
• Applying pressure with your fingers on the flesh should make it bounce back and not feel tough.
• Finally, the insides of the fish should be pink and moist.

Following these tips, you can buy the freshest fish on the market.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients required to make my delicious Fish Curry.

• Fish: I used Red Snapper, or HEeera fish but you can use other varieties too. Make sure to ask your fish vendor to cut thick slices.
• Onions: I used yellow onions for the gravy.
• Spices and aromatics: My easy fish curry recipe only requires basic spices like red chili powder, black pepper powder, and fenugreek.
• Yogurt: I use yogurt for this recipe. Although several other recipes don’t require yogurt, I think it adds a much-needed tangy flavor. Additionally you could add tamarind paste.

For quantities, see the recipe card below.

Instructions

Now, let’s start making this delicious recipe!

In a blender jar, add green chilies, onions, garlic, black peppercorn, cumin seeds or zeera, and ½ cup water. Blend these together.

Next, in a pan add the oil and methi daana or fenugreek seeds. Let the seeds pop and fizz as the oil heats up. When the methi daana starts to release an aroma and changes color, add the prepared onion paste.

Saute the onion paste for a minute and then add the spices: turmeric, salt, and red chili powder, along with a cup of water. Cover the pan and let it cook for one hour. Occasionally give it a stir.

Approximately an hour later, the water should have reduced, and the oil should have started separating from the masala’s sides. Now, it is time to saute the paste further so you can clearly see the oil separating from the masala on the sides of the pan. This step will take about 15-20 minutes. Furthermore, this is crucial to eliminate the odor of raw onion and garlic from the fish curry.

Next, add yogurt and let it simmer for 10 more minutes until the oil has separated and the masala is smooth.

Now, add the star of the show, the fish! Cook the fish pieces on high flame for 1 minute. Then, flip them over and add ¼ cups of water. Let it cook on low flame for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, the fish will be tender. Lastly, turn off the flame and serve your delicious Spice Fish Curry! You can serve it with boiled, white Basmati rice, or homemade roti.

Hint:

When washing the fish, apply some lemon juice and salt to it, let it rest for 10 minutes, and then wash it with clean water. The lemon juice will eliminate any fishy smell.

If you are looking for other options in fish besides red snapper, the following fish are great for making curries with:

• Mackeral
• Mahi Mahi
• Cod
• Basa
• Tilapia

Additionally, if you want a drier masala, then add less water in the final step to make a thicker gravy.

Variations

There are several changes you can make to this recipe which will impact the final flavor:

• Fry the fish pieces in mustard oil before adding to the gravy. Mustard oil has a unique earthy flavor, and what’s more, it will make the fish crispy.
• Add coconut milk to the gravy. Add coconut milk for a slight sweetness instead of adding water to make the gravy.
• Add tamarind paste. In several Indian versions of the recipe, tamarind paste is added near the end of cooking to add a delicious tangy flavor.

Equipment

Following is a list of equipment I used to make this dish:

• 1 large pan
• Blender/grinder
• Knife and chopping board
• Measuring spoons

Storage

You can cook and store fish curry in your refrigerator for 2-3 days.

You can also freeze this curry in an air-tight container, for up to 2 weeks.

FAQ

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