Kerala fish curry is cooked with little fuss and energy. Slow baked in the oven in a mildly spiced coconut bath, yielding moist fish that is comforting, delicious AND healthy.
In a bowl large enough for the salmon pieces, add the marinade ingredients. Combine, then add the fish and coat well. Set aside while the masala cooks.
Masala (Sauce)
Gather all your sauce ingredients and turn the oven to 300°F (150°C).
In a dutch oven or saute pan over medium-high heat, add the coconut oil. When the oil is hot, test with a couple of mustard seeds. When they are sizzling, add the rest of the mustard seeds. As soon as they are crackling, add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes; just until translucent.
Add the ginger garlic paste and stir for about a minute or two until the paste smells cooked. Turn the heat down to medium if the pan is too hot.
Add the Kashmiri ground chili and the ground coriander. Stir for several minutes to cook the spices.
Add the coconut milk and lemon juice. Remove from the heat. Taste for salt and more lemon juice.
Place the fish in a baking dish and cover with the coconut sauce. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily. Start checking for doneness at the 20-minute mark. How long it takes to cook will depend on your oven and the thickness of the fish.
OPTIONAL: If the sauce is not as thick as you would like it, remove the cooked fish from the dish and cover with foil. Return the coconut sauce to the pan used to cook the sauce. Over medium-high heat, boil the sauce for about 5 minutes, or until it reaches the consistancy you are looking for. You can choose to pour through a sieve for a slightly fancier final dish
Taste for acid, heat (ground chili), and salt. I typically find I want a couple more squeezes of lemon. Serve with rice or quinoa and your favorite raita. Plain yogurt also works for a fuss-free accompaniement.
Notes
Feel free to swap in your favorite fish for the salmon in this Kerala fish curry.
Ideally get center cut steaks so that the fish has a more even thickness.
If you would like a thicker sauce, after baking the fish, remove it from the coconut mixture and cover with foil. Add the sauce back into the dutch oven or pan you cooked the masala in. Over medium-high heat, cook the sauce for about 5 minutes or until it is at the consistency you would like. Strain it if you want a smooth sauce, but this step is not necessary.
Ground coriander losses it’s flavor reasonably quickly. Either freshly grind some coriander seeds, or make sure your powder is still flavorful.