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Indian

Malvani fish curry

Non-vegetarian

Kingfish or pomfret simmered in a coconut gravy coloured with Malvani-style roasted chillies and soured with kokum or tamarind. From the Konkan coast of Maharashtra.

Malvani fish curry is an Indian curry, ready in about 45 minutes and made with white fish fillet, desiccated coconut and tamarind paste. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
25 min
Total
45 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
335

Ingredients

4 servings

To season the fish

For the masala

For the curry

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rub the fish with turmeric (opens in a new tab), salt and lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and set aside.

    • 2 min

  2. Step 2

    In a dry pan, toast the coconut and sliced onion (opens in a new tab) until golden brown. Add the chillies, coriander, pepper (opens in a new tab) and cloves (opens in a new tab) for the last minute. Blend with the garlic (opens in a new tab) and 200 ml of the water to a smooth paste.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the coconut oil (opens in a new tab) in a wide pan and soften the chopped onion (opens in a new tab). Add the masala paste and fry for 3–4 minutes.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Add the remaining water, tamarind and salt and bring to a simmer.

    • 3 min
    • medium heat

  5. Step 5

    Slide in the fish and simmer gently, shaking the pan rather than stirring, until just cooked. Garnish with coriander.

    • 7 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Fish is done when it flakes easily and is opaque throughout.

    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Malvan, Sindhudurg (Konkan coast), Maharashtra, India · Well documentedMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Toasted, Simmered
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), tangy, creamy, aromatic / warmly spiced
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Carb-conscious · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday
Cook more with
White fish fillet · Desiccated coconut · Tamarind paste · Turmeric · Lemon juice · Onion
Techniques
Toasting · Simmering · Spice roasting (dry-roasting)

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Fishfrom white fish fillet

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

335 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 323 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 27%
  • Carbohydrate 18%
  • Fat 54%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy335 kcal104 kcal
Protein23.3 g7.2 g
Carbohydrate15.9 g4.9 g
Net carbohydrate10.2 g3.2 g
Sugars5 g1.6 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre5.7 g1.8 g
Fat20.8 g6.4 g
Saturated fat17.3 g5.3 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol68 mg21 mg
Sodium1010 mg312 mg
Salt equivalent2.5 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
679 mg
Calcium
67 mg
Iron
2 mg
Magnesium
66 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
52 µg
Vitamin C
6 mg
Vitamin D
0.6 µg
Vitamin B12
2.3 µg
Folate (DFE)
28 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: coriander leaves.
  • Tamarind paste: Raw tamarind pulp (FDC 167763). Commercial concentrates vary in water content.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • If you use kokum instead of tamarind, add the petals with the fish and remove them before serving.

Common mistakes

  • Stirring once the fish is in — it breaks up.

Serve with

  • Serve with steamed rice or rice bhakri and sol kadhi.

Storage

  • Best eaten the same day; keeps 1 day refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Warm gently without stirring.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 1

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

  • Dry spice blend

    Malvani masala

    This recipe roasts and grinds it from whole spices (19 g for 4 servings). The full masala recipe explains each step in detail.

    Make Malvani masala

Reviews & corrections

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