Fish Curry Recipe | Indian Pomfret Curry

Quick and easy pomfret curry. This authentic Indian fish curry recipe is easy to follow and tastes phenomenal. Flaky pomfret meat slithered in simple Indian curry made with cilantro, onion, and garlic.

Fish curry has been part of Indian culture for decades. I don't care enough to get into the whole history behind who invented curry. Do you? I can tell you all about what curry is though :).

Jump to:

• What is Curry?
• Simple Fish Curry
• The Ingredients for Fish Curry
• How to Clean and Cut the Whole Fish
• Tips & How to Cook Fish Curry
• Can I Bake the Masala Marinated Fish?
• Can I use Coconut Milk for Curry?
• How to Serve Fish Curry:
• More Indian Fish Recipes to Try
• Storing and Reheating
• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need:
• Fish Curry Recipe | Indian Pomfret Curry

What is Curry?

You give Indians vegetables, beans, seafood, or meat and they'll turn it into curry lol. Curry is a sauce-based dish, seasoned with mainly South Asian spices. Indian curries are mainly based on Indian spices, tomatoes, onion, and/or coconut milk.

Since you are here for curry, You may like my Chicken Curry and Meatball Curry. Also, check out Vegetarian options like Paneer Butter Masala, Aloo Palak, and, Palak Paneer.

Simple Fish Curry

This four ingredient curry takes no more than 20 minutes to cook. Mild flavors of cilantro, a slight kick of green chili, and a tang from lemon juice along with caramelized onion make this curry taste delicious.

My Ammi(mother) always kept the fish curry simple and easy to cook. She never used complicated steps. One-pot all done type curry that always tasted delicious. Following Ammi's footsteps, and keeping my recipe as simple as it can be with taste guaranteed.

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The Ingredients for Fish Curry

Fish & Produce:

• Pomfret Fish: Pomfret also known as Pompano is meaty and rich in omega fatty acids. I get the fresh pomfret from a local Asian supermarket in Salt Lake City. Trout, Mahi-Mahi, Tilapia, or any other firm meat fish would make a great substitute for Pompano.
• Lemon: I am using lemon juice to clean, marinate, and make the sauce for this recipe.

• Cilantro: you'll need one whole bunch of cilantro with stems for this recipe. Wash and clean the cilantro under running water a few times. Remove any yellow or brown leaves.
• Onion: I am using one large yellow minced onion. Mince them in a food processor or by hand. Squeeze out all the excess water. This will help caramelize the onion faster.
• Green Chili: I am using 2 large Indian green chilies for this recipe. Indian long green chilies are usually milder compared to Thai green chili. Jalapeno, serrano, or one small bell pepper are great substitutes for the milder curry.
• Garlic Cloves: I am using 6 to 8 garlic cloves for the sauce. You may add more or less according to your preference.
• Ginger-Garlic Paste: I have a recipe for homemade GG paste or you may find it in the produce section in major grocery stores. I am using ginger garlic paste to marinate the fish.

Spices:

• Kashmiri Chili Powder: I choose Kashmiri chili powder over any other red chili powder for all of my recipes. Kashmiri red chilies are milder in taste once it is deseeded and goes under the process of grinding. For a brighter beautiful red color and milder taste, use Kashmiri chili powder.
• Cumin-Coriander Powder: Toasted cumin and coriander powder are must-have ingredients for Indian cooking.
• Turmeric Powder: I am using ½ teaspoon turmeric powder to marinate the fish and ¼ teaspoon for the curry.
• Oil: I like to use olive oil for cooking but any light cooking oil would work fine.

How to Clean and Cut the Whole Fish

Our local Asian supermarket offers fish cleaning. You might even find precleaned and cut whole fish at any major grocery store. Follow the below instructions to clean and cut the whole fish.

• Start by trimming the fins and tail.
• Scale the fish starting from tail to head motion with a kitchen knife or butter knife. Scale gently otherwise those slimy scales will fly all over your sink and kitchen counters lol. You may use a scaling brush to prevent scales from flying :).
• Make a cut around the belly with a fillet knife. Slice upwards, away from the guts, going toward the head.
• Remove the guts and scrape out the liver attached to the backbone of the fish.
• Cut head and base. Discard the head or remove the gills and eyes to use for the curry.
• Now cut around ½ inch thick pieces from top to base until you reach the tail.
• Add the fish pieces to a large prep bowl and wash them with cold water a few times until clean.
• I like to use a squeeze of lemon juice and some salt while cleaning the fish. It helps get rid of slime easily and reduces the strong fishy smell.
• Don't forget to wash your hands with soap and clean the sink and its surroundings with hot water and dish soap.

Tips & How to Cook Fish Curry

This one-pot authentic Indian fish curry recipe takes under 30 minutes to cook.

Marinate the Fish:

• Combine 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste, 3 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin-coriander powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1 lemon-juiced, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
• Pat dry the pomfret (pompano) fish pieces and transfer them into a prep bowl.
• Pour the spice marination on top of the fish pieces.
• Apply the marinade evenly on each piece of fish with the help of a brush or using your hands.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the marinated fish for 30 minutes.

Prepare For Curry:

• Meanwhile, blend 1 bunch of washed and cleaned cilantro, 2 green chilies, 6 to 8 garlic cloves, ½ lemon-juiced, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ cup water, and salt to taste in a blender or a food processor.
• Keep in mind, we already added 1 teaspoon of salt to fish marination. Set the Hara Masala (cilantro sauce) aside or refrigerate until ready to cook.
• Mince one large yellow onion in a food processor and squeeze out all the excess water.

Cook:

• Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Brush 1 tablespoon oil evenly on the hot skillet and add the marinated fish pieces.
• Cook the pieces on one side for 2 minutes. Flip each piece and cook on the other side for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked fish pieces to a plate and set them aside.
• Add any leftover marinade and minced onion to the same skillet. Turn the heat down to low and cook onion until caramelized. Takes about 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add blended cilantro sauce to the skillet. Cook until oil starts to release. Stir while cooking the sauce so the spices don't burn.
• Add an additional ¼ cup of water and cook until curry thickens. Add cooked fish pieces to the curry. Gently cover them with sauce.

Can I Bake the Masala Marinated Fish?

Of course. You can bake the marinated pieces of fish with little to no oil. You'll need at least one tablespoon of oil to caramelize the onion for the curry.

Bake the marinated fish at 425 F for 15 minutes then flip each piece and broil for 1-2 minutes or just until golden and crispy.

Can I use Coconut Milk for Curry?

Yes, you can replace the water with ½ cup coconut milk. Adding your favorite steamed veggies would make a great addition to this recipe as well.

How to Serve Fish Curry:

We love to serve fish curry with plain basmati rice. I have a post on how to cook plain rice if you need the recipe :). Eat fish curry with your hands or fork.

• How to Cook Plain Rice

More Indian Fish Recipes to Try

I love having different fish recipes. If you are like me, you will enjoy other fish recipes I have on my blog.

Check out my oven-roasted mackerel and baked fish masala recipes.

Storing and Reheating

• Store the leftover fish curry in an airtight container for up to 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
• This recipe is so easy to make and tastes great when cooked fresh. I don't recommend freezing.
• Reheat the curry in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish. You can reheat the curry in a saucepan on low-medium heat until heated.

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need:

• Skillet
• Fillet Knife
• Fish Scaling Brush
• Fish Spatula