Fish curry with curry leaves
Filipino
Fish curry with curry leaves
Firm white fish in coconut milk, mustard seed, and curry leaves. Rice beside it.
Tilapia, snapper, or basa. I call it a cozy pot for steamed rice. I only rub the fish with turmeric. I do not add it again later.
Before you cook
Mustard seeds and curry leaves, popped in hot oil, are a South Indian way of starting a pot. Filipino kitchens took that temper up along with coconut milk and a firm white fish. The fish is rubbed with turmeric and then left alone in the sauce so it does not fall apart.
- Serves
- 4
- Time
- 40 min
- Level
- Weeknight
- Energy
- 350kcal
- Seafood
Contains fish.
Equipment
- Wide pot
- Knife and board
- Spoon
Each serving
An estimate from average ingredient values, not a lab test.
- Energy
- 1464 kJ
- 350 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Carbohydrate
- 10 g
- Sugars
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Salt
- 1.1 g
- Sodium
- 440 mg
This batch, 4 servings, is about 5858 kJ (1400 kcal), with 20 g sugars and 4.4 g salt.
Ingredients
Tick them off as you go. They reset when you leave.
Shops near you
Use where you are, including when you travel. Nothing is sent until you tap. Or type a suburb. Prices are not listed, because they change every week.
Bagoong, Mang Tomas, Mama Sita’s, and fresh curry leaves are often missing from the big shops. A Filipino or Asian grocer is the backup. Do not swap bagoong for plain salt and expect the same dish.
Method
- 01
Rub the fish with salt, pepper, and the turmeric. Leave it while you start the sauce.
- 02
Heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Stir in the cumin seeds, curry leaves, and chilies.
- 03
Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for a minute.
- 04
Add the tomatoes and cook until they soften. Stir in the coriander, the chili powder if you are using it, and the garam masala.
- 05
Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
- 06
Lay the fish in. Simmer on low for 10 to 12 minutes, until it flakes. Do not stir it to pieces.
- 07
Taste for salt. Finish with coriander.
Times are a guide. If it needs another minute, give it another minute.
To serve
Rice beside it. Lift the fish out in pieces so it does not fall apart on the way to the plate.
Keeping it
Fish does not keep like a stew. Cool it quickly and eat it the next day, reheated gently so it does not fall apart. I would not keep it longer.
Leftovers
- Fish curry cakes
For a parent, a student, or anyone who cooked yesterday.
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Hungry Alan
Fish curry with curry leaves
Serves 4 · 40 min
Ingredients
- 500 g firm white fish fillets, in chunks
- salt and pepper
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or other oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch of ginger, minced
- 2 green chilies, slit, optional
- 1 sprig curry leaves, about 10 to 12
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder, optional
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 400 ml coconut milk
- coriander leaves, to finish
Method
- Rub the fish with salt, pepper, and the turmeric. Leave it while you start the sauce.
- Heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Stir in the cumin seeds, curry leaves, and chilies.
- Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for a minute.
- Add the tomatoes and cook until they soften. Stir in the coriander, the chili powder if you are using it, and the garam masala.
- Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Lay the fish in. Simmer on low for 10 to 12 minutes, until it flakes. Do not stir it to pieces.
- Taste for salt. Finish with coriander.
To serve
Rice beside it. Lift the fish out in pieces so it does not fall apart on the way to the plate.
Keeping it
Fish does not keep like a stew. Cool it quickly and eat it the next day, reheated gently so it does not fall apart. I would not keep it longer.