Goan Fish Curry

Recipe for Goan Fish Curry made with home made goan fish curry paste and spices. Recipe with step by step pictures.

Here are other fish recipes from the site. Fish Recipes

Here is the video of how to make Goan Fish Curry

I came across this Goan fish curry from the Instagram handle of Chef Floyd Cardoz . I have been eyeing the recipe for a long time. Finally I made it today. Its a very simple recipe and comes together in no time. A simple goan masala is ground and this paste is what makes for the base of this curry. The bright red color is from the Byadagi chillies / Kashmiri Chillies. The addition of the famed konkani spice “Teppal” makes the curry very aromatic and unique in taste. The fish steaks are slow cooked / poached in the curry and it tastes so divine. Everyday comfort food!!! I think Teppal / Tirphul / Tripala is the least known spice in South India. It is the most common konkani spice that is used extensively in Coastal Karnataka and Goan cuisine. Teppal is a close cousin of sichuan peppercorn and has a strong biting taste. Very little of this spice is used as its very strong and can make the tongue numb if too much of it is added. The Teppal berries are dried and the seeds are discarded. The outer coating is what is used as a spice to flavor the curries. It is usually not eaten. It is discarded at the end just like the normal spices – cinnamon, clove etc.. It can flare up the tongue when accidentally bitten into just like sichuan peppercorn. PS: Please note that Teppal / Tirphul spice is very different from the ayurvedic triphala powder. The bright red color of the fish curry comes from bydagi chillies. Byadagi Chillies come from the Haveri district in Karnataka. The chilli is long and wrinkled and deeply red. Its not very hot but imparts a dark color and aroma. Its not a very spicy variety of chilli. So if you can get Byadagi chillies, its good. Else you can use Kashmiri chillies.

Here is how to do Goan Fish Curry. Homemade masala paste We need to make a raw paste. Here is what you will need. If you do not have Teppal, just omit it.

Grind all the ingredients for the masala paste with half a cup of water. Grind to a very smooth paste. Set aside.

Salt the fish steaks. Sprinkle half a teaspoon of salt on both sides of the fish. Set aside. I have used sea salt. I have used the fish variety called Indian Salmon (Rawas Fish) today.

Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the sliced onions. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft.

Add in the ground paste. Add in the turmeric powder and the salt. (The fish is already salted. So go easy on the salt). Saute for 4-5 minutes till the masala is cooked and the mixture looks dry.

Add a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan.

Soak half a lime size tamarind in one cup of water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind in the water to extract all the juices. Strain the juice and set aside the tamarind pulp / juice. Discard the tamarind seeds and the pith.

One of the main ingredients for the Goan Fish Curry is Kodampuli – Malabar Tamarind. Kodambuli – Malabar Tamarind is a dried fruit used in curries as a souring agent. It gives the curries a sweet sourness and its slightly smoky. Do not use a lot of it. Add three pieces of kodampuli to the pan. Also add the tamarind pulp to the pan.

Add in one more cup of water to the pan.

Cover the pan and let the curry simmer for 20 minutes on a medium flame. Mix the curry once in a while to avoid scorching at the bottom of the pan.

Add in the salted fish pieces. Cover the pan and let it simmer on a very LOW flame for 20 minutes. Let the fish poach on a low flame.

The fish curry is ready after 20 minutes. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. Discard the kodampuli.

Serve hot with rice.

For the Masala Paste

• 1/2 cup coconut
• 5 cloves garlic
• 4 teppal berries
• 7 bydagi chillies
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Other Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 onion, sliced ( 1/2 cup )
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• half a lime size tamarind
• 3 pieces kodampuli

For salting the fish

• 500 grams fish steaks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Grind all the ingredients for the masala paste with half a cup of water. Grind to a very smooth paste. Set aside.
2. Salt the fish steaks. Sprinkle half a teaspoon of salt on both sides of the fish. Set aside.
3. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the sliced onions. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft.
4. Add in the ground paste. Add in the turmeric powder and the salt.
5. Saute for 4-5 minutes till the masala is cooked and the mixture looks dry.
6. Add a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan.
7. Soak half a lime size tamarind one cup of water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind in the water to extract all the juices. Strain the juice and set aside the tamarind pulp / juice. Discard the tamarind seeds and the pith.
8. Add three pieces of kodampuli to the pan. Also add the tamarind pulp to the pan.
9. Add in one more cup of water to the pan. Cover the pan and let the curry simmer for 20 minutes on a medium flame. Mix the curry once in a while to avoid scorching at the bottom of the pan.
10. Add in the salted fish pieces. Cover the pan and let it simmer on a very LOW flame for 20 minutes. Let the fish poach on a low flame.
11. The fish curry is ready after 20 minutes. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. Discard the kodampuli.
12. Serve hot with rice.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Goan

For the Masala Paste

• 1/2 cup coconut
• 5 cloves garlic
• 4 teppal berries
• 7 bydagi chillies
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Other Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 onion, sliced ( 1/2 cup )
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• half a lime size tamarind
• 3 pieces kodampuli

For salting the fish

• 500 grams fish steaks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Grind all the ingredients for the masala paste with half a cup of water. Grind to a very smooth paste. Set aside.
2. Salt the fish steaks. Sprinkle half a teaspoon of salt on both sides of the fish. Set aside.
3. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the sliced onions. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft.
4. Add in the ground paste. Add in the turmeric powder and the salt.
5. Saute for 4-5 minutes till the masala is cooked and the mixture looks dry.
6. Add a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan.
7. Soak half a lime size tamarind one cup of water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind in the water to extract all the juices. Strain the juice and set aside the tamarind pulp / juice. Discard the tamarind seeds and the pith.
8. Add three pieces of kodampuli to the pan. Also add the tamarind pulp to the pan.
9. Add in one more cup of water to the pan. Cover the pan and let the curry simmer for 20 minutes on a medium flame. Mix the curry once in a while to avoid scorching at the bottom of the pan.
10. Add in the salted fish pieces. Cover the pan and let it simmer on a very LOW flame for 20 minutes. Let the fish poach on a low flame.
11. The fish curry is ready after 20 minutes. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. Discard the kodampuli.
12. Serve hot with rice.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Goan

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/goan-fish-curry/

Recipe for kongunad thayir kuzhambu made with pachai masala (raw masala). Traditional kongunadu special thayir kuzhambu recipe. கொங்குநாடு பச்சை தயிர் குழம்பு

Thayir kuzhambu is a very popular recipe among the Gounder community in the Kongunad region. The specialty of this curry is that a very unique masala paste is ground raw and added to the curry. The curry is not cooked. The taste of the curry is very different and special to the region around Pollachi, Palladam and Udumalpet. Its served in all important festivals and functions in the region. White pumpkin is the preferred vegetable for this curry. I recently got hold of this recipe from my friend Aruna. Do try this at home.

Here is how to do it. This recipe is usually done with white pumpkin. Clean, peel and de-seed the pumpkin. Dice the pumpkin into small pieces and boil the pumpkin in slightly salted water for 10 minutes. I used around a cup of water for boiling the pumpkin.

Once the pumpkin is fork tender, remove from heat. Drain the pumpkin and set aside to cool.

For the masala paste We will need to make a raw masala paste for this recipe. Here is what you will need. If you want a very spicy curry, add one more green chilli.

Grind the masalas with half a cup of water to a thick smooth paste. Set aside. Do not add a lot of water. It will dilute the curry. Note: Use the water leftover from boiling the pumpkins to grind the masala.

Take a bowl and add in 500ml of fresh plain yogurt. Add in the ground raw masala to the yogurt.

To that, add in the boiled and drained pumpkin.

For the Tempering Take a small pan and heat sesame oil in the pan. Once the oil is hot, add in the chana dal. Once the chana dal is slightly brown, add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the curry leaves and dried red chillies.

Add in the finely chopped onion. Saute for a couple of minutes.

Remove the onion mixture and add it to the yogurt bowl. Add in the salt.

Mix well to combine. Thayir Kuzhambu is ready.

Serve with rice.

For boiling the pumpkin

• 2 cups diced pumpkin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water

For the raw masala paste

• 1/4 cup fresh shredded coconut
• 1 green chilli
• 1 dried red chilli
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 inch piece ginger

For the tempering

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chana dal
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1/2 onion, finely choppe ( 1/4 cup )

Other Ingredients

• 500 ml plain yogurt (curd)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Dice the pumpkin into small pieces and boil the pumpkin in slightly salted water for 10 minutes. drain the pumpkin and set aside to cool.
2. Grind the masalas (raw masala paste) with half a cup of water to a thick smooth paste. Set aside. Do not add a lot of water. It will dilute the curry.
3. Take a bowl and add in 500ml of fresh plain yogurt. Add in the ground raw masala to the yogurt.
4. To that, add in the boiled and drained pumpkin.
5. Take a small pan and heat sesame oil in the pan. Once the oil is hot, add in the chana dal. Once the chana dal is slightly brown, add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the curry leaves and dried red chillies.
6. Add in the finely chopped onion. Saute for a couple of minutes.
7. Remove the onion mixture and add it to the yogurt bowl. Add in the salt.
8. Mix well to combine. Thayir Kuzhambu is ready.
9. Serve with rice.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu