Fish Curry ~ Parsi Food

• Parsi Fish Curry

• Parsi Food loves their curry, specially the fish or prawn one. Traditionally it must be with bone-on fish. My personal preference is having a whole fish as it adds to the flavour. The Western world however tends to eats fish fillets and many are squeamish when served with a whole fish! Here I share my curry recipe with salmon fillets. 

Smooth, deep and delicious the Parsi fish curry is hard to beat!

Serves 6 persons

• 1kg/2lbs fish
• 1 cup desiccated or freshly scraped Coconut
• 6 large flat dry red chilles
• 1 whole pod of fresh peeled garlic
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp corriander powder
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 12 curry patta/ leaves
• 2  slit green chillies
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup fresh tomato puree
•  1 tsp tamarind paste or kokum paste

• Grind together until fine, the coconut and red chillies. Now add the onion, garlic, sugar, salt and the corriander and cumin powders with the vinegar to make into a paste.

•  In a pan heat a tsp of oil and add turmeric curry patta/ leaves and the green chillies.

• Gently stir for a minute and add the curry paste. 

• Now add the water. Mix well, bring it to a boil, cover. Lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes. Now add the fresh pureed tomatoes and the tamarind or kokum. Cover again and cook for another 30 minutes on a very low steam. 

• Add the fish and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Cover and close the stove. Let it rest for 10 minutes and serve with freshly boiled steaming hot rice.

• Tips

• Substitute 1 cup of coconut water for water if you wish. 
• If you cannot get tamarind or kokum use the juice of one fresh lemon or lime.
• 2 tsp of chillie powder equals the 6 large flat dry chilles, however the chillies do give the colour and flavour.
• Add 1/2 cup of coconut milk to make it creamier.

Read all about Parsi Food History and much more in my cookbook 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine