Fish Curry with Coconut Milk and Fenugreek

I adore the fish curry and accompaniments served at the Tamarind House restaurant in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. I have been cooking varying fish curry recipes ever since to replicate what I love about that one. This is probably my favourite fish curry recipe and is as close to what I remember the Tamarind one to be - as well as I can decipher from so far away and only the memory to keep me going. 

It is perfect with a firm white fish like cod or ling to hold some beautiful large chunks of fish together, and has the right amount of kick and fragrance where it suits all the chutneys I like accompanying curries, as well as some poppadums of course. 

Based on a recipe by Charmaine Solomon from her Asian Cookbook bible.

Pictured: Fish Curry with Coconut Milk and Fenugreek

500g firm white fish, cod or ling – ask the fish monger to dice into large chunks

2 tbsp light olive oil

10 dried curry leaves, 6 fresh if you have them

1 brown onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp ground fenugreek – I pound up fenugreek seeds when I have them in a mortar and pestle

2 cups coconut milk

1 tsp or more of salt to taste

Lemon juice of ½ lemon – to taste

Prepare the fish if the fish monger hasn’t, measure out the dry spices into a cup all together, prep all other ingredients.

Heat oil in a small casserole pan and fry the curry leaves for a few minutes, add the onion, garlic and ginger and fry until onion is soft and golden.

Add all the dry spices and fry, stirring, until aromatic – a couple of minutes.

Add coconut milk and salt, bring to the boil, stirring. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

I sometimes prepare the curry up to this stage, then warm it again when I am ready to finish the cooking and serve.

Add the fish, ladle the sauce over,  and simmer until well cooked – this will vary depending on the size of the pieces – It can be 5 minutes or so – check if the fish is starting to flake apart and remove straight away – stir in the lemon juice and keep in mind it will keep cooking in the sauce so serve immediately.

Serves 4