Description
A rich and flavorful South Indian-style curry featuring delicate cod in a creamy coconut sauce, topped with fragrant saffron butter. Served with rice, naan, or roti, this dish brings an exotic twist to your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Curry:
- 2-3 tbsp coconut oil (or neutral oil)
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 8-10 fresh curry leaves
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 0.5 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 0.5 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
- 0.5 tsp sugar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 160ml full-fat coconut cream (small can or half a standard can)
- 125g coconut powder
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- Juice of 1 lime
For the Saffron Butter:
- 1 tbsp butter
- Pinch of saffron
For the Fish:
- 2 cod loins
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 0.5 tsp cumin powder
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
To Serve:
- Rice, roti, naan, or parathas
- Lime wedges
- Chopped coriander (or parsley)
- Chopped chili (optional)
Instructions
-
Prepare the Curry:
- Heat coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring regularly until softened.
- Stir in garlic and ginger, cooking until slightly browned. Add curry leaves and stir well until fragrant (about 2 minutes).
- Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chili powder, turmeric, and amchoor. Stir and toast for 1-2 minutes.
- Add 300ml water, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Mix in the coconut cream and coconut powder. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the lime juice and garam masala. Remove from heat and set aside.
-
Prepare the Saffron Butter:
- In a small pan, gently heat butter with a pinch of saffron until infused. Set aside.
-
Cook the Fish:
- Bring the cod loins to room temperature by letting them sit for 30 minutes before cooking. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, mix together lime zest and juice, honey, turmeric, cumin powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Coat the fish with the marinade and let it sit for only 2-3 minutes to avoid “ceviche”-style cooking.
- Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sear the fish for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and slightly blackened. Do not overcook.
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Assemble and Serve:
- Spoon the curry sauce over your choice of rice, naan, or roti.
- Place the seared cod on top of the curry.
- Drizzle with saffron butter.
- Garnish with chopped coriander, chili (if desired), and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- You can substitute cod with other white fish, such as halibut or tilapia.
- If you prefer a less spicy version, reduce the amount of Kashmiri chili powder.
- For added texture, serve with a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes on top.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (1/2 of the recipe)
- Calories: 520kcal
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 80mg