Goan Fish Curry

Recipe By Saroj Velho

Fish and rice are staples in Goa, a part of India which was ruled by the Portuguese for 400 hundred years. Goa’s traditional cuisine adapted to both cultures and became the spicy and tangy dish we enjoy today. As always, this is my improvised version to accommodate the availability of both time and fresh ingredients…

Ingredients

  • 5-7 pieces of fish, cut into pieces
  • 2 tbsps cooking oil
  • Bread crumbs, for coating fish
  • 1” piece of tamarind (soaked to extract its pulp), or 1tsp lemon juice
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 2 tbsps garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 2 green chillies, slit
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 2 tbsps coriander powder
  • 2 tbsps cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 and 1/2 cups coconut milk

Let’s Create

  1. To marinate the fish, sprinkle it with salt, chilli powder, black pepper, turmeric, cumin and coriander powders. Drizzle some oil and gently mix to combine. Set aside for 10 mins before coating with bread crumbs.
  2. Put the onion, ginger and garlic into your food processor and grind well to make a smooth paste.
  3. Now over medium flame fry the green chillies and onion paste for 5 mins till transparent.
  4. Add chopped tomato to the onion paste till oil starts to separate.
  5. Now again add turmeric, chilli, coriander and cumin powders, plus garam masala powder. Mix well and add salt to taste.
  6. Add the tamarind (or lemon juice), sugar and coconut milk and simmer gently for a few mins. Add the fish pieces to the gravy and cook for 10 more mins.