Malvani Fish Curry Recipe Maharashtrian Style

Are you looking to add some variety to your seafood recipe collection? You can’t go wrong with Malvani fish curry.

Malvani Fish Curry is a traditional fish curry that is derived from Malvani cuisine, which is cooked with coconut milk and freshly ground malvani masala. In this fish curry, we use kingfish to give the curry a delicious flavor. The fish curry is best served with steamed rice and pomfret fry. Originally from the western coastline of India, Malvani Style Fish Curry Recipe is a traditional dish.

Using freshly ground malvani masala, we slow stew the fish with sautéed onions, tomatoes in coconut milk. The curry is also seasoned with kokum to add a sour element.

For a delicious lunch or dinner, serve the Malvani Fish Curry Recipe with steamed rice, fish fry, and pickled onions. This recipe would also make a great weekend lunch or dinner.

How it is prepared

The base for any Malvani dish, including this easy Malvani fish curry recipe, is Malvani masala, which is simple and quick to make. Malvani spice paste or masala or gravy is a special blend of spices that lends the cuisine its distinctive taste.

Malvani gravy is reddish brown in colour and spicy because of the extensive use of red chilies. Malvani masala is used not only in seafood and coconut-based dishes, but also in vegetable, lentil, and bean dishes, as well as chicken and mutton curries. It can last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for some months.

For our Malvani fish curry recipe, surmai is a popular choice, but pomfret, tilapia, red snapper, and trout also work well. Pomfret’s mild taste blends beautifully with Malvani masala’s rich and robust flavours in this Malvani style fish curry.

This Recipe highlights:

• Indian cuisine: Malvani
• Meal: Lunch
• Nutrients Value: A high protein, mineral riched non-vegetarian diet
• Equipment Used: Kadai (Wok)
• Prep time: 10 mins
• Cooking time: 20 mins
• Total time: 30 mins

For King-fish Marination

• Cut one kingfish (250 gms) into 3-inch x 2-inch flat fillets
• Red chili powder, 1 teaspoon
• Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder (Haldi)
• Cumin powder (Jeera) 1 teaspoon
• One teaspoon of coriander powder (dhania)
• Lemon juice, 1 cup
• A pinch of salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Clean and cut the kingfish into pieces as described.
2. Mix turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander, cumin seed, lemon juice, salt, and oil in a bowl.
3. Marinate the kingfish pieces in this paste for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
4. Take the marinated fish out of the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature after 30 minutes.

Recipe Ingredients (For masala paste)

• 5 nos degi mirch
• 4 nos trifal
• 3tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 cup chopped Tomato
• 1 cup chopped Onion
• 1 inch chopped Ginger
• 1 cup chopped Coriander leaves
• Garlic cloves 15-20 nos
• 2 cups Coconut Grater

To make the Malvani Masala

1. In a blender, add:

• 5 nos degi mirch
• 4 nos trifal
• 3tbsp coriander seeds

2. Grind them into a fine powder.

3. Now add 1 cup chopped:

• Tomato
• Onion
• 1 inch Ginger
• Coriander leaves

4. Then add:

• Add 15-20 nos Garlic cloves
• 2 cups Coconut Grated
• 1/2 cup water

Grind it finely. it will turn into a fine paste.

Cooking Part!

1. Heat a Kadhai (cooking pan) and drizzle 1/2 cup of oil
2. Add one cup of onions. Fry and keep stirring for one minute
3. Then add prepared paste/masala and fry it. Keep running the spoon so it cooks properly.
4. When the paste gets thicker, sprinkle:
5. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
6. 1 tbsp red chilli powder
7. Add salt as per taste and mix it
8. Mix the spices and fry it
9. Now add pieces of surmai fish. And mix it so that it dissolves all the ingredients and spices.
10. Add 1/4 cup tamarind water and mix it with specula
11. Now rinse the blender with water and add it to a kadhai
12. Again mix it
13. When the water starts boiling, sprinkle over 1/2 cup of coriander leaves
14. Stir the Malvani Fish Curry lightly. Simmer the Malvani fish curry for approx. 7 minutes, until the fish is thoroughly cooked.
15. Remove the Malvani Fish Curry from the heat once it’s done. Adjust the salt and spices as necessary. In a serving bowl, place the Malvani Fish Curry and serve it hot.

Serve!

Dish out the malvani fish curry in your favorite bowl. You can serve the dish hot with either rice or chapatis.

Some more serving suggestions

For a delicious lunch or dinner, serve the Malvani Fish Curry Recipe with steamed rice, fish fry, and pickled onions. You can also serve it as a weekend lunch or dinner.

Useful tips:

• To balance the sourness and tanginess of the dish, kokum (Garcinia Indica) is added. Alternatively, you can substitute tamarind paste or tamarind extract if kokum is unavailable.
• Adding dried red Kashmiri chillies to this Malvani fish curry recipe gives it a beautiful orange-red colour without imparting too much heat. If you prefer a milder or hotter taste, adjust the level of hotness accordingly.
• Before serving, let the fish curry rest for an hour so that the gravy and fish absorb all the flavours.
• It is important not to overcook the fish. As a precaution against overcooking, the fish is added at the very end.

More about:

An incredible seafood classic from the Malvan coastal region of western India, Malavi fish curry is famously fiery, spicy, tangy, and delectable. Known for its unique taste and distinctive spice profile, Malvani cuisine is a fusion of Maharashtrian, Konkani, and Goan cuisines. Malvan is located in Sindhudurg district on the west coast of Maharashtra.

Conclusion

Malvani fish curry is not only delicious, but it is also healthy. A fish diet is a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which are essential components of a healthy heart. As an added bonus, the spices in the dish, such as turmeric and cumin, facilitate the body’s natural healing process by reducing inflammation. So all in all, this recipe is a must try for seafood lovers who enjoy bold and complex flavors.