There are two kinds of fish curry in India. The heavy, long-simmered version that belongs to winter, and the lighter, brothy coastal version that is designed for heat, humidity, and the kind of afternoon where you want comfort but not weight. This is the second kind.
Kerala's fish curries have always understood this balance. Thin coconut milk, sour kokum, fresh curry leaves, green chilli: it is a broth as much as a curry. You eat it with rice and it feels cooling, not heating.
This version uses two FNF products that make a natural pairing: Colossal Prawns (cleaned and deveined, large enough to hold their own in a broth) and Basa Fish Fillets (boneless, skinless, the most forgiving fish to cook in a curry without falling apart).
What You Will Need
From FNF:
- FNF Colossal Prawns (cleaned and deveined): 500gm
- FNF Basa Fish Fillets (boneless, skinless): 500gm, cut into large chunks
From your kitchen:
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 12 to 15 fresh curry leaves
- 2 shallots or 1 medium onion, finely sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 1 inch ginger, julienned
- 2 green chillies, slit
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 cup thin coconut milk
- Half cup thick coconut milk
- 3 to 4 pieces kokum soaked in warm water, or 2 tbsp raw mango sliced
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander to finish
Method
- Temper the base. Heat coconut oil in a wide pan or kadai. Add mustard seeds: when they pop, add curry leaves (stand back as they will spit). Add shallots and cook until soft and golden, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Build the masala. Add ginger, garlic, and green chilli. Saute 1 minute. Add turmeric and coriander powder, stir for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook until they break down, about 4 minutes.
- Add coconut milk. Pour in thin coconut milk first. Stir in kokum or raw mango. Bring to a gentle simmer and do not boil hard.
- Cook the fish. Add basa pieces first as they need 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the colossal prawns as they need just 3 minutes. Gently stir without breaking the fish.
- Finish. Pour in thick coconut milk. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 1 minute. Taste for salt and sourness. Scatter fresh coriander. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Tips
- Basa is an underrated fish. It is mild, forgiving, and holds its shape in broth better than pomfret or rohu. Paired with the sweetness of colossal prawns, it creates a curry with two distinct textures in one pot.
- Make the curry thinner than you think. A brothy coconut curry on a hot afternoon is cooling in a way a thick curry simply is not. If it is too thick, add a splash of warm water before the thick coconut milk goes in.
Order FNF Colossal Prawns and Basa Fish Fillets for same-day delivery in Delhi NCR. Order before 4PM.
