I have been trying hard to finish writing this post ever since I made this Sri Lankan style Fish Curry, but something or the other takes priority. A few weeks ago, I happened to eat at a Sri Lankan restaurant here in Sydney where I had this tomato-based Fish curry with all the flavors from down south India, which I am known to. All those spices and the addition of coconut milk and tamarind to the curry appeared very much known to my taste buds. It just made me feel at home. And the very next day, I was ready with my attempt to recreate the same in my own home kitchen. Though I was not sure, which kind of fish that curry had which I ate at the restaurant, I would guess that it was some firm white fish for sure. So I did my research on the internet about it and confirmed my assumption. The next thing was that I was headed towards my local fishmonger. With some small talk and the exchanges of pleasantries, he suggested me to go for Australian Barramundi fish with its skin on, which would hold very well in a curry. So I returned home with all the required ingredients in my shopping bag to recreate the magic. I recollected all the spices and flavors from the curry and tried to bring about my own concoction using my past curry cooking skills. Though not a hundred percent identical, it was quite close. And I really liked it if I say so to myself. And again, it’s one of those easy recipes which you would want to cook on a weekday too. So, here you go!
Sri Lankan Style Fish Curry
Sri Lankan Style Fish Curry
Ingredients
- 500 gm barramundi fish fillet
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- juice of one lime
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 medium red onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
- 2 green chillies
- 5 medium ripe tomatoes
- 1 handful curry leaves
- 3 cardamom pods
- 2 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 300 ml coconut milk
- salt, to taste
Instructions
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Slice the fish into large chunks. In a bowl, mix together 1tsp turmeric, lime juice and salt and rub gently onto fish and let rest in fridge for about 1 hour.
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To make your sauce, finely chop onions, ginger, tomatoes, garlic and chillies, keeping them all separate.
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Heat a large pan over a medium–high heat and add oil. Add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cardamom and gently fry for a minute until spices start to splutter.
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Now add the onion, ginger, garlic, chillies and curry leaves and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the onion is golden brown.
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Stir in the chopped tomatoes. Let them cook for about 5 minutes or until oil starts to separate out on the edges. Add tamarind paste, coconut milk, salt and a cup of water, then simmer for 10 minutes, as the sauce reduces.
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Add the fish to the sauce and simmer until the fish is cooked through and opaque. Garnish with extra green chillies and curry leaves. Serve hot with the rice.