Sri Lankan Fish Curry

Method

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1. Toast all the curry powder spices in a dry pan over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until they are dark brown and smell smoky. Take them further than feels right, but stop before black. Cool and grind.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

2. Soak the goraka in hot water for 20 minutes, then squeeze and keep both the pieces and the liquid.

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3. Cut the fish into large chunks and toss with a little salt and turmeric.

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4. Heat the coconut oil and fry the onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, lemongrass and pandan for 8 minutes until soft and fragrant.

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5. Add the chilli powder, turmeric, fenugreek seeds and 2 tablespoons of the roasted curry powder, and fry 2 minutes.

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6. Add the water, the goraka and its soaking liquid, and the salt. Simmer 5 minutes.

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7. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a bare simmer — do not boil, or it will split.

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8. Slide the fish in in a single layer with the green chillies. Do not stir; shake the pan instead.

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9. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, spooning sauce over, until the fish is just done and the gravy has thickened.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

10. Rest 10 minutes off the heat before serving with rice.

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Chef’s Tips

• Roast the spices dark. This is the single difference from an Indian curry.
• Never boil once the coconut milk is in.
• Shake the pan rather than stirring, or the fish breaks up.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• For a non-vegan version, double cream can generally stand in for the coconut milk; going the other way, a plant-based cream sold for cooking is the closer match to dairy than tinned coconut milk on its own.
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the green chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Red rice or basmati
• Coconut sambol
• Papadums

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 2 days and reheat below a simmer. Do not freeze.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.