Simple, quick and full of flavor, brighten your weeknight with this coconut fish curry. Healthy to begin with, and if you avoid onions and garlic, there is a twist for you too!
In a medium bowl mix turmeric, lemon juice, chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut the fish into 3-inch pieces and add to the spice and lemon mixture. Stir to coat well and set aside for 10 minutes.
While the fish is marinating, heat a tablespoon of oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and as soon as they start crackling, add the onions and curry leaves (if using). Turn down the heat to medium and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add a little water as needed to prevent the onions from sticking.
Add ginger garlic paste and green chili. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes until the paste no longer smells raw.
Add coconut milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the pan and heat just until bubbles start forming at the edges of the pan. Do not allow to boil or the coconut milk may break or split. Turn heat to low, stirring occasionally for several minutes.
Add fish to the coconut milk, turn up the heat just until it starts to bubble gently. Return the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the fish is firm and cooked through. Stir gently so the fish doesn’t break into pieces.
Adjust for seasonings. This is a dish rich with coconut milk so make sure that you taste for enough acid (lemon juice), salt and heat from chili.
Garnishes: fried curry leaves, or chopped cilantro and toasted cashews.
Notes
Curry leaves add herbaceous, anise, and citrus notes to a dish. curry. If you can’t find them, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of lime rind. The result won't be the same but the zest can add some of the citrus notes you get with the real thing. Buy unwaxed fruit.
Indian mustard seeds are black or brown and are a little more flavorful, but yellow mustard seeds work just fine in this coconut fish curry.
If you arecooking without onion and garlic, skip and slightly increase the ginger, and add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds with the mustard seeds in the cooking process. If you have it, a pinch of asafetida added with the green chilies would be an excellent substitute as well.