Authentic, easy Goan fish curry recipe

Tasty Goan Pomfret Curry

Do you enjoy sea food? Then you’ll love this recipe for a flavour-packed Goan fish curry made with fresh coconut. Interestingly, the recipe for this appetising traditional curry has several versions with minor variations in the ingredients and procedure.

But what’s common is the amazing taste. And also, what’s surprising is the simplicity of this recipe. Simple ingredients and simple steps. Another interesting thing. No oil is added separately in this easy Goan fish curry recipe. The oil content comes from the coconut. I’m making a Goan pomfret curry. But this recipe could be made with any fish of your choice.

This easy recipe for Goan fish curry packs a flavourful punch just like another popular Goan curry – Goan Fish Jeerem Meerem. The main difference between these two tasty curries is that a jeerem meerem curry is made without coconut.

Ingredients

6 medium-size pomfrets, 600g

1 ¼ cup grated fresh coconut (125g)

6 Kashmiri chillies

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

6 cloves garlic

1-inch piece of ginger, sliced

6 cloves

12 peppercorns

½ medium size onion, sliced

1 ½ tbsp tamarind

½ tsp + ¼ tsp salt

2 tsp + ½ tsp sugar

1 tsp chilli powder

2-3 dried kokum skins

½ cup coconut milk

1 slit green chilli

For marination

½ tsp salt

½ tsp turmeric powder

Procedure

1. Soak the Kashmiri chillies and the tamarind in a little hot water and for around half an hour. (You could also use a mix of Kashmiri and bedgi chillies.)
2. Clean the fish and then wash it well. Since I’m using medium-size pomfrets, I’ve made just one slit in each one. For larger pomfrets you could make two or three slits. Marinate the fish with the salt and turmeric powder for around 20 minutes.
3. In the meanwhile, prepare the masala for the fish curry. To a grinder jar add the coconut, Kashmiri chillies (along with the water they were soaked in), turmeric powder, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, garlic, ginger, cloves, peppercorns, onion, and tamarind along with the water it was soaked in. Add some water and grind everything to a smooth paste.
4. Add about ½ cup water to a vessel, and then transfer the masala paste to it along with the rinsings of the grinder jar. Stir everything and then add as much water as needed to make a curry that’s not too thick and not too thin. Start heating the curry on a medium flame.
5. Add the salt, sugar, and chilli powder to the curry. When it comes to a boil, add the dried kokum skins and then lower the heat and let the curry simmer for around 7 – 8 minutes so that the flavours of all the spices can be extracted into it.
6. Add the marinated fish to the curry. The fish will need around 8 – 10 minutes to cook. Don’t stir the curry after adding the fish to it so the fish can stay intact as it cooks.
7. After 10 minutes, add the coconut milk and the green chilli to the curry. Let the curry boil for another minute and then taste it. Adjust the seasonings if necessary.
8. Turn off the heat, and then let the fish steep in the curry for around 10 minutes before plating it.

Enjoy!