Goan Fish Curry

The method

Step by step

Written for first-time cooks — every quantity, timing and cue is spelled out.

1. 01

   Prepare Ingredients and Tools

   First, gather all your tools: blender, kadhai/wok, cutting board, knife, measuring cups and spoons, and a small bowl. Clean the fish pieces and pat them dry with a paper towel. Soak the dried Kashmiri red chilies in 1/4 cup hot water for 20 minutes and the tamarind in 1/4 cup hot water for 10 minutes. Finely chop the medium onion on your cutting board.

2. 02

   Extract Tamarind Pulp

   After 10 minutes, gently squeeze the soaked tamarind in its water with your fingers to extract the pulp. Strain this liquid through a small sieve into a small bowl, pressing down on the solids to get all the juice out. Discard the fibrous tamarind solids.

3. 03

   Grind the Masala Paste

   In your blender, combine the fresh grated coconut, soaked Kashmiri red chilies (along with their soaking water), roughly chopped ginger, peeled garlic cloves, and the extracted tamarind pulp. Add 1/2 cup of fresh water to help with grinding. Blend everything into a very smooth, fine paste. It should look like a thick, reddish-orange sauce.

4. 04

   Sauté the Onion

   Place your kadhai/wok on the stove over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Once the oil is shimmering (about 1 minute), add the finely chopped onion. Stir frequently with a spoon. Cook the onion for about 5-7 minutes until it turns soft and translucent, and just starts to get a light golden edge.

5. 05

   Cook the Masala Paste

   Reduce the heat to low. Carefully add the ground masala paste from the blender into the kadhai with the sautéed onions. Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir everything together well. Cook this paste on low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the raw smell disappears and the oil starts to separate from the sides of the paste. The paste will also darken slightly.

6. 06

   Add Water and Bring to a Simmer

   Pour in 1 cup of fresh water into the kadhai. Stir well to combine the paste with the water, scraping any bits from the bottom. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the curry to a gentle boil. Once it starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low again.

7. 07

   Add Fish and Simmer

   Carefully slide the cleaned fish pieces into the simmering curry. Make sure the fish is mostly submerged in the gravy. Do not stir vigorously, as fish can break easily. Cover the kadhai with a lid and let it simmer gently on low heat for exactly 8 minutes. The fish will turn opaque and flake easily when cooked.

8. 08

   Rest and Serve

   After 8 minutes, turn off the heat. Do not open the lid immediately; let the curry rest, covered, for another 5 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully. Gently transfer the Goan Fish Curry into a serving bowl. Serve hot with steamed rice.