Goan Fish Curry (Tangy Coconut Fish Stew)

Name: Goan Fish Curry (Tangy Coconut Fish Stew)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: white fish fillet 350 g; salt 0.25 tsp; cooking oil 1 tbsp; coconut milk 250 ml; onion 1 pcs; tomato 1 pcs; garlic 3 pcs; turmeric powder 0.5 tsp; chili powder 1 tsp; tamarind paste 1 tbsp

Quick answer

Total time: 35 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 10

About this dish

Coconut milk makes it look rich and creamy, but tamarind gives it a sharp sourness, and it eats lighter than it looks.

Fishing households on Goa's west coast eat this curry with rice every day, and locally the pair is called xitt-kodi. It carries traces of the Portuguese colonial period along with Konkani cooking traditions, and Goans of every religion and class share it.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

onion1 pcs

tomato1 pcs

garlic3 pcs

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Cut 350 g white fish into 3-4 cm pieces and season evenly with 1/4 tsp salt.

Slice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the tomato before heating the pan so the curry can move quickly once the spices go in.
2

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat.

Add 1 sliced onion and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring often, until the edges turn golden and the raw sharpness softens without letting the onion burn.
3

Add 3 minced garlic cloves and stir for just 1 minute to remove the harsh raw aroma.

Add 1 chopped tomato and cook for 4-5 minutes, pressing lightly, until the flesh collapses into the onion base.
4

Lower the heat and add 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp chili powder.

Stir constantly for 30-40 seconds, only until the spices smell warm and toasted, then stop before the powder darkens or scorches.
5

Pour in 250 ml coconut milk and 1 tbsp tamarind paste, stirring until the spice base loosens into the liquid.

Bring only the edges to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low for 2 minutes.
6

Add the fish in a single layer, cover, and cook over low heat for 6-8 minutes without stirring.

When the centers turn opaque, the pieces flake gently under a spoon, and the center temperature reaches 63°C, turn off the heat and serve immediately.