This easy fish curry features a robust spice blend tamed by creamy coconut milk and can easily be made in 30 minutes.

Medium Spice.

Serve over cauliflower rice (directions below) or your favorite white/brown rice. We like to toast naan with garlic and cilantro as a side to soak up all the creamy sauce.

Just the Recipe | 4 Servings

2 Tbs. Oil

1 - 1 1/2 lbs. White Fish (Cod or Haddock are perfect)

2 Bell Peppers

1 Onion

1 Serrano chili

2-3 Tbs. Ginger Garlic Paste (see tips)

1 (12 oz) Can Coconut Milk

1 Lime

1/2 c. cilantro chopped

Spice Blend:

1 Tbs. Curry Powder

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1 tsp. Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp. Kashmiri Chili Powder (optional)

1 tsp. Garam Masala (optional)

1/2 tsp. Turmeric (optional)

1 tsp. Coriander (optional)

1/2 tsp. cayenne (optional; skip for less heat)

Note: If you skip the optional spices, add another tablespoon of your favorite curry powder. We love Penzey’s Now Curry blend.

Stove Top with Braiser or Instant Pot

Steps:

Measure out the spice blend into a small bowl; set aside
Slice the onion and bell peppers into strips; set aside
Dice the serrano; set aside
Cube the fish into 2-inch pieces; set aside
Heat the oil
- Stove: Med-high
- Instant Pot: Sauté
When hot, add the onions and bell peppers. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until soft.
Coat the peppers and onions in the spice blend. Add the ginger garlic paste and serrano. Stir for about a minute, allowing the spices to bloom. Keep stirring, don't let the spices burn! If needed, drizzle in some more oil or add a tablespoon of water.
Add the coconut milk and stir until well combined. Be sure to loosen any spices stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Add the fish, salt and pepper.
Cook the fish
- Stove: Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until the fish is done, about 3-5 minutes.
- Instant Pot: Turn off Sauté, cover. Set valve to sealing. High Pressure cook for 2-3 minutes depending on fish thickness. Quick Release.
When the fish is done, stir in the fresh squeezed lime juice and cilantro.

Serve over cauliflower rice with lime wedges and top with additional cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste.

Prep first!

This recipe cooks quickly, having everything prepped and makes cooking even easier!

Cauliflower Rice | 4 Servings

1 Head Cauliflower

1/4 c. water

Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

Steps:

Chop the cauliflower rice, then grate. I use a food processer to make this easy.
Add to a large pot with 1/4 c. water, salt and pepper to taste.
Steam on med-high heat, covered for about 5-7 minutes.

This recipe can easily be made on the stove or in the Instant Pot.

Kitchen Acumen Tips:

Ginger garlic paste is a staple in my frig. I pulse together equal amounts of peeled ginger root and garlic cloves with some vegetable oil in the food processor (see consistency in picture above) and store in a small mason jar with a coating of oil on the top to keep the paste fresh. It keeps for several weeks in the frig. I use a lot of recipes with both ingredients and having the paste on hand saves me from having to peel and chop these two perfectly married ingredients. I’ve tried jarred pastes from the store but homemade is so much fresher!
You get to decide how spicy to make your curry! I like the heat of a serrano chili, but you can go hotter or skip it altogether. The oil in the ribs and seeds of a pepper is where the heat is, seeding will cut back on heat. You can also slice the pepper in half up to the stem but leave it intact and cook it whole. Some of the heat will get into the recipe and you can remove the pepper so nobody has to eat it.
Use a thick white fish filet like cod or haddock. Flounder will not work in this recipe. Tilapia can if they are thick. Always rinse in cold water and pat dry with paper towels so excess water doesn’t get into the sauce.
See the tomatoes in the pictures? Sometimes I add extra veggies to vary the recipe. This could be diced tomatoes, peas, or green beans that I add with the fish. Or carrots that I slice into small sticks and add with the onions since they take longer to cook.
Cauliflower rice is super simple to make. The pre-made versions are a bit pricy compared to a head of cauliflower so I typically make it myself. You can add more flavor by using chicken or veggie stock instead of water to steam. If the vegetable itself is very watery, you may want to drain over a fine mesh sieve before using.
When we make rice, I like to use basmati and start it in the rice cooker before I prep the ingredients as it will take longer to make than this recipe! Talk about easy.
Limes will juice more easily if they are room temperature. Microwave for 10 seconds if cold from the frig. If a firm lime, roll around on the counter before slicing in half to help the juices flow.