Kerala-Style Karimeen Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

Ingredients

• 1 lb Pearl spot fish (karimeen), cleaned (Cut into serving pieces; wash and clean thoroughly.)
• 3 tbsp Coconut oil (Divided between the curry and final tempering.)
• 12 Shallots (Thinly sliced; use some for the curry and reserve some for tempering.)
• 1 tbsp Fresh ginger (Minced.)
• 5 cloves Garlic (Minced.)
• 3 Green chilies (Slit lengthwise.)
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves (One portion for the curry and one for tempering.)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (Use a pinch for the final tempering; the remainder may be used in the curry if desired.)
• 1 tbsp Red chili powder (Adjust to taste.)
• 2 tbsp Coriander powder
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1.5 cup Water (Add enough to form a pourable curry sauce.)
• 1 tbsp Tamarind (Use tamarind pulp or soaked tamarind extract.)
• Salt (To taste.)
• 1 cup Thick coconut milk (first extraction) (The transcript calls for the first/thick coconut milk; add at the end.)

Steps

1. 1

   Clean the fish thoroughly, removing scales and any unwanted parts, then rinse well and drain. Cut it into serving pieces if necessary.

2. 2

   Heat the coconut oil in a clay cooking pot or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.

3. 3

   Add the sliced shallots, minced ginger, minced garlic, and slit green chilies. Sauté until the shallots soften and the aromatics smell fragrant, about 4–5 minutes.

4. 4

   Add one portion of the curry leaves and sauté briefly until fragrant.

5. 5

   Reduce the heat to low. Add the red chili powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder. Stir and sauté gently until the spices are blended and their raw smell disappears, taking care not to burn them.

6. 6

   Pour in the water, then add the tamarind and salt. Stir carefully and bring the sauce to a steady boil.

7. 7

   Once the curry base is boiling, gently place the fish pieces into the pot. Do not stir with a spoon or ladle; instead, hold the pot by its handles and swirl it gently so the fish remains intact.

8. 8

   Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the fish is cooked through and the sauce has taken on its characteristic curry color, about 8–12 minutes. The fish should flake easily but remain in pieces.

9. 9

   Add the thick first-extraction coconut milk. Swirl the pot gently to combine and heat until the curry is just steaming and nearly simmering.

10. 10

    Do not boil the curry after adding the coconut milk, as vigorous boiling can cause it to split. Turn off the heat once warmed through.

11. 11

    For the tempering, heat the remaining coconut oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the reserved shallots and curry leaves and fry until the shallots are lightly golden and fragrant.

12. 12

    Add a pinch of Kashmiri chili powder to the tempering, immediately remove the pan from the heat, and pour the seasoned oil over the fish curry.

13. 13

    Rest the curry for a few minutes, then serve gently with hot rice.

Notes

The creator's comments mention that the fish in the video was not cleaned properly and advise taking extra care when cleaning it. Avoid stirring the fish with a ladle, and do not boil after adding the first/thick coconut milk.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• fish
• Kerala
• coconut milk
• gluten-free
• dairy-free
• clay-pot cooking
• spicy