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A white bowl containing monkfish pieces with creamy curry sauce, coriander, and curry leaves,

Monkfish Curry

Easy monkfish curry recipe made with monkfish fillets and aromatic creamy curry sauce. One of the best fish curry recipe that every family member love! Ready in 30 minutes and all you need are simple ingredients and pantry-friendly spices.
5 from 12 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 243kcal
Author: Khin

Equipment

  • Large cooking pot/pan

Ingredients

  • 500 gram Monkfish fillet About 17.6oz ( Cut into medium bite-size pieces )
  • 3-4 Shallot onion Finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Garlic paste Or finely grated garlic
  • ½ tbsp Ginger paste Or finely grated ginger
  • 1-2 Tomato Finely chopped
  • 4-5 Green chilli Cut ½ inch pieces or thin slices
  • handful Coriander Roughly chopped
  • 200 ml Coconut milk Full cream/full fat
  • 10-12 Curry leaves Optional , see details in note
  • tsp Salt Or adjust salt to taste
  • 2 tsp Tamarind paste See details in note
  • 2-3 tbsp Oil Vegetable oil or , peanut, canola, etc
  • 1 cup Water Warm water

Spices

  • tsp Kashmiri chilli powder See details in note
  • 1 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Garam masala Or choice of curry powder
  • 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds Zeera/Jeera seeds

Instructions

  • Heat the pan to medium heat, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves. Let them sizzle for a few seconds, then add chopped shallots and cook until soft and translucent.
  • Next, garlic paste and ginger paste and continue sautee until the onions are brown. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are reduced and oil separates.
  • Add ground spices, turmeric, chilli, garam masala, and coriander powder. Stir it well for a few seconds until fragrant.
  • Pour the warm water in and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Then add the coconut milk and salt to taste. Bring it to a simmer.
  • Now, place the monkfish pieces in the curry sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.
  • Stir in tamarind juice and green chillies. Let it cook for another 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and finish with coriander.
  • Transfer to a serving plate and serve with plain basmati rice, naan, or chapati.

Notes

  • Monkfish - is mild, sweet, firm, meaty, and similar to lobster. To prepare, wash the monkfish fillets, pat dry with a paper towel, and then cut them into medium bite-size pieces. Instead of monkfish, you can add your choice of meaty white fish fillets, like cod, halibut, haddock, basa, etc. 
  • Curry leaf - has a unique citrus, and pungent aroma and is ideal for this recipe. If you cannot get curry leaves you can omit it. 
  • Tamarind paste - You can use readymade tamarind paste with no added sugar or spices. Or you can make it from tamarind pulp by soaking it in hot water for a few minutes. Then mash it with your hand, then strain the bits with a mesh strainer. 
  • Kashmiri Chilli - Instead of Kashmiri chilli powder you can use regular chilli powder hot or mild to your preference. If you prefer mild curry, you might want to reduce green chilies and add paprika powder instead of chilli powder. 
  • Coconut milk - I usually add creamy Thai coconut milk like Aroy-D or Chokoh brands. Add your choice of full-fat or full-cream coconut milk. 
  • Can you freeze it? If you have any leftovers you can freeze them or keep it in the fridge for later use. Let it cool down completely, then store it in an air-tight container. It usually lasts in the fridge for a couple of days and in the fridge for up to 3 months. 
  • Can you reheat it? Simply reheat it over the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot. Make sure not to over reheated it as the monkfish can be easily overcooked. 
  • What to serve with this dish? Serve with plain basmati rice, coconut rice, turmeric rice, pulao, naan, chapati, or a choice of flatbread. Pair with Indian onion salad, bhajis, pakoras, or a choice of side dishes. 
This recipe is approximate 243 kcal per serving and it can be varied by a number of different factors. 

Nutrition

Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 1073mg | Potassium: 805mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 631IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3mg
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