Kerala Fish Curry

Kerala Fish Curry or Malabar matthi curry is an Indian dish where fish like sardines are cooked in a Kerala Style curry served sometimes with vegetables like okra and onions then served with rice and/or naan, popular varieties add tamarind and coconut milk which adds more complexity to the dish. A popular dish in Kerala, Bangladesh and West Bengal where seafood is a staple.

Kerala Style is usually defined by the use of shredded coconut paste or coconut milk, curry leaves, and various spices like mustard seeds, onions and chillies fried in oil. Meat is then added, usually fish or chicken then stewed on a flavourful gravy flavoured with tamarind and coconut.

While commonly sardines are used on a dish like this but today I will be using a fleshy white fish, I am just lazy to debone small fish today. It is a great dish, tasty and spicy, perfect with basmati rice and naan to soak all of that tasty sauce.

Kerala Fish Curry

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• 700 g fleshy white fish, cubed
• 600 ml coconut milk
• ⅓ cup tamarind pulp, soaked in 1 cup of boiling water
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 1 large tomato
• 8 garlic cloves
• 2 green chillies
• 10 pcs curry leaves
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• salt
• oil

Instructions

1. In a food processor combine onion, tomato, garlic and green chillies, add a small amount of oil then pulse to make a thick paste. Set is aside.
2. In a large pan add oil, add the coriander powder, turmeric powder and black mustard seeds, sauté until really fragrant.
3. Add the onion paste, curry leaves, red chillies and chilli powder, sauté for a minute.
4. Pour coconut milk and drain the water from the soaked tamarind pulp, bring to a boil then add the fish. Simmer for 10 minutes then season with salt.
5. Turn off heat, place on serving platter then serve.

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