Fish Curry Recipe: Make the best and simplest fish curry with minimal ingredients using your favorite fish in less than 25 minutes.
Check our popular Mangalorean kori rotti (chicken gravy) and neer dosa recipe (rice crepes).
Alle Piyava Gashi (Fish in Ginger Onion Gravy)
A top-rated recipe from Konkani cuisine in coastal regions of Karnataka (Mangalore, udupi, Konkani) and goa called jalke alle piyava gashi (ambat) where jalke means fish in English, alle means ginger, piyavu means onions and gashi or ambat means curry with fried onions as tempering. This recipe is made using smelt fish (motyale / bolangir). So overall, this is smelt fish in ginger onion gravy.
Alle piyava gashi with fish is traditionally served with boiled rice (ukdi sitha), steamed rice, or pan polo (neer dosa) for a complete meal combo.
Konkani recipes are always my favorite as they are easy to make and need just 20 to 25 minutes from start to end. Using coconut gives the dish a thickness, creamy texture, and natural sweetness.
Don't forget to check out another popular recipe called hinga udda made with prawns (shrimp).
Indian Fish Curry
Indian curry is famous because of its rich taste and flavor. The fish is cooked in gravy made with a blend of aromatic spices, tamarind, and coconut milk or freshly grated coconut. Curry made with fish in Indian varies from region to region. Some popular ones include
- Goan fish curry: Known for its tangy and spicy flavor that comes with the addition of chilies and tamarind pulp or kokum.
- Kerala fish curry: Bright red in color with aromatic flavor from the addition of freshly homemade coconut milk.
- Mangalorean fish curry: The base of the curry is either coconut (hinga udda, ambat, gashi) or red chilies, onion, and tamarind (puli munchi, panna upkari).
- Bengali fish curry: Mustard oil and mustard seeds give a signature Bengali taste and color.
- Tamil fish curry: Made with a variety of spices and tangy tamarind-based gravy.
Ingredients
Fish: Use fish of your choice. Some that tastes good with this coconut curry includes Some popular ones include bangade (mackerel or raju), anjal (visonu), pomfret (manji), silverfish, smelt fish or bolangir (motiale), pedvo, kane (nogli).
Onion, Ginger, and Green chilies: 3 ingredients that complement each other well and enhance the dish.
Coconut: Adds the thickness, creaminess, and sweetness to the dish.
Tamarind: a small piece for tanginess.
Coconut oil: traditional Mangalorean flavor.
Red chile: for color and spiciness.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-step Instructions
Preparation to make fish gravy
- Chop ⅓ of the onion into cubes and finely chop the remaining ⅔ of the onion. If using medium-sized onions, then use two onions in the recipe.
- Slit the green chilies and grate or crush the ginger and keep it aside.
- Clean the fish and keep it ready.
Make the coconut paste
- Grind together the coconut, tamarind, and cashews with a little water to form a smooth, thick paste.
- If you are using roasted red chile instead of chile powder, add it and grind with other ingredients.
Making of the best fish curry recipe
- Transfer the ground paste to a pan.
- Add cubed onions, grated ginger, green chilies, salt, and a little water for the desired consistency to this paste and bring it to a nice boil.
- Once the gravy comes to a nice boil, add the fish and cook it on a medium flame for another 4 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Leave it undisturbed, as the fish may break.
Make the tempering
- Meanwhile, in another small pan, add coconut oil and finely chopped onions and saute on medium flame until the onions become golden brown.
- Now add the sauteed onion to the gravy and switch off the flame.
- Serve hot with steamed rice, boiled rice, undi or coconut rice dumplings, or neer dosa, and enjoy.
Tips
- Fresh, frozen, or shredded coconut flakes can be used to make coconut fish curry.
- Adjust the spices to taste.
- Vegetarians can substitute fish with potato, eggplant, or okra in the recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Some popular fish that tastes best when added to curry include mackerel or bangade (raju), anjal (visonu), pomfret (manji), silverfish, smelt fish or bolangir (motiale), pedvo, kane (nogli), and more.
Indian curry with fish is high in protein, low in fat, packed with omega-3- fatty acids, and a better option when compared to other meat curries.
More Mangalorean Recipes
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Recipe card
Best Fish Curry Recipe | Mangalorean Konkani Alle Piyava Gashi
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- 6 oz Fish of your choice approx 180 grams (I have used smelt, motiyale, bolangir)
- 1 Big onion or 2 medium onions
- 2 Green chilies
- 1 ½ inch Ginger
- ¾ cup Grated coconut
- Small piece tamarind approx ½ tbsp
- 1 tablespoon Cashews optional
- 2 teaspoon Red chile powder or 4 to 5 Roasted Red chile
- 1 tablespoon Coconut oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Preparation to make fish gravy
- Chop ⅓ of the onion into cubes and finely chop the remaining ⅔ of the onion. If using medium-sized onions, then use two onions in the recipe.1 Big onion
- Slit the green chilies and grate or crush the ginger and keep it aside.2 Green chilies, 1 ½ inch Ginger
- Clean the fish and keep it ready.6 oz Fish of your choice
Make the coconut paste
- Grind together the coconut, tamarind, and cashews with a little water to form a smooth, thick paste.¾ cup Grated coconut, Small piece tamarind, 1 tablespoon Cashews
- If you are using roasted red chile instead of chile powder, add it and grind with other ingredients.2 teaspoon Red chile powder
Making of the best fish curry recipe
- Transfer the ground paste to a pan.
- Add cubed onions, grated ginger, green chilies, salt, and a little water for the desired consistency to this paste and bring it to a nice boil.Salt to taste
- Once the gravy comes to a nice boil, add the fish and cook it on a medium flame for another 4 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Leave it undisturbed, as the fish may break.
Make the tempering
- Meanwhile, in another small pan, add coconut oil and finely chopped onions and saute on medium flame until the onions become golden brown.1 tablespoon Coconut oil
- Now add the sauteed onion to the gravy and switch off the flame.
- Serve hot with steamed rice, boiled rice, undi or coconut rice dumplings, or neer dosa, and enjoy.
Notes
- Fresh, frozen, or shredded coconut flakes can be used to make coconut fish curry.
- Adjust the spices to taste.
- Use your favorite fish. Some popular ones include bangade (mackerel or raju), anjal (visonu), pomfret (manji), silverfish, smelt fish or bolangir (motiale), pedvo, kane (nogli).
- Vegetarians can substitute fish with potato, eggplant, or okra in the recipe.
Nutrition
Note: We originally posted this fish in ginger onion gravy in Jan 2016. It has now been modified in Sep 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
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That looks delicious Kushi
Kushi
Thank you Jyothi 🙂
purnima
Nice recipe....
Kushi
Thank you Purnima 🙂