Indian Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

Indian Fish Curry with Coconut Milk, so flavourful and easy to make, ready on the table in way under 30 minutes. I used monkfish for my curry, but any white fish would do. Spiced and earthy, served on a bed of basmati rice for the best Indian food experience.

Summer might not be the best time for enjoying comfort food, but good dishes know no season. I love a good mild curry that totally pampers my taste buds. And while chicken is by far my favourite meat to use in a curry, this fish curry has definitely made it to my cook-again list.

Traditional Indian curries (or at least what the Western world calls a curry) use a wide range of spices, and a basic curry recipe will be just that, meat and spiced/ spicy curry sauce. But ever since I discovered that coconut milk adds so much flavour, and tones down the spiciness, I use it over and over again.

And the beauty with coconut milk is that it can be used with any meat or vegetable curry - my Indian Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk and Coconut Chickpea Curry use the same basic sauce recipe, and they are both fantastic dishes that can rival any Indian take-away classic dishes.

And now fish - what a beauty! Monkfish might not be a commonly-used fish, but it's so delicious, and it cooks in no time. Just get rid of the main bone, and you don't need to worry about anything else.

Jump to:

• Ingredients used
• Step-by-step photos and instructions
• Variations
• Recipe FAQs
• Indian Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

Ingredients used

• monkfish fillets - I used monkfish, but any other white fish can be used, like cod or seabass
• onion - it can be either yellow or red, or even shallots
• garlic - it adds a lot of flavour, not to be missed
• ginger - fresh ginger adds more depth to the curry, alternatively you can use ground ginger
• full-fat coconut milk - it works the best to add creaminess, the light coconut milk is too watery
• chopped tomatoes - you can use fresh tomatoes too if they are ripe and sweet
• vegetable oil - I prefer an odourless oil when I cook curries, I do not like olive oil here
• Indian spices - I prefer a mild version, but for a much stronger touch, feel free to add more spices + chillies
• coriander or parsley to garnish - fresh ones add more colour, but dried can be used too
• salt & pepper - to me, no dish can be made without

Step-by-step photos and instructions

White fish, or fish in general doesn't take that long to cook, so by the time the sauce is ready, everything else is done perfectly.

• heat up the oil in a large pan, and fry the onions over a low to medium heat until translucent

Slightly caramelised onions will enhance the flavours, so don't rush the frying on a high heat, as the onions won't soften properly, and burn quickly.

• add the ginger and garlic, and leave to fry for a further 30 seconds or so until they release they flavour
• in go the spices - give everything a good stir - the heat will bring out all the flavours
• add the coconut milk, chopped tomatoes and chopped fish, give it a good stir, then leave to cook with the lid on on a medium heat until the sauce is reduced and everything is cooked
• garnish with fresh coriander or parsley

Variations

I tend to use chopped tomatoes for all sorts of sauces - they are cheap, easy to use, and just convenient to store in a cupboard and use whenever you need to.

But, of course, fresh tomatoes can be used as well if you happen to have some juicy, well ripe tomatoes. I wouldn't recommend fresh tomatoes when they are not in season - they are pretty much tasteless, and the sauce won't be as rich and flavorful, hence why l'd rather go for the canned ones.

If you do use fresh tomatoes, add them after you add the spices, and leave to cook for a few minutes until they become mushy - add the coconut milk after, in this way you make the most of the delicious tomatoes. 

ALWAYS USE FULL-FAT COCONUT MILK - the lighter one is pretty much just coloured water - it won't bring any goodness to the sauce, and the curry will be rather bland. Make sure you use the coconut cream in it too - and you get one creamy, rich and fragrant sauce to lick you fingers clean.

Recipe FAQs

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