Fish Curry Recipe (Meen Kuzhambu)

Last Updated On: Nov 21, 2024 by Sharmilee J

Fish Curry is a spicy, delicious and flavorful gravy made by preparing spice masala, cooking it with fish, tamarind extract, tempering items, onion, tomato & herbs. Fish Kulambu is a prefect combo for rice and gets tastier with time. Learn to make Fish Kulambu with step by step pictures.

Fish Curry – And this is my first nonveg post. I eat nonveg but havent dared to start cooking it myself. To me, amma makes the best meen kulambu and I haven’t tasted any better than hers. It is perfectly flavored and balanced with tamarind.

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About Fish Curry
Fish Curry Ingredients
How to make Fish Curry Step by Step
Expert Tips
Serving and Storage
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About Fish Curry

Fish Kulambu is one of the popular South Indian curries which has tamarind and coconut as main ingredients. Fish Kuzhambu can be made using pomfret fish or vanjaram fish etc. Vegetarians can try this curry with brinjals, small onion, garlic, arbi etc.

Fish is mittu’s favorite and as I type this with her on my lap, she saw the pics and now she is asking for fish. I always held back to click and post nonveg dishes somehow it was not in my comfort zone all these days. But few office colleagues and friends had requested to post non veg recipes so am planning to post it occasionally. So here on will post more non veg recipes.

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Fish Curry Ingredients

Fish – Any type of fish can be used. I have used vanjaram fish.
Masala paste – A special masala paste is made by grinding onion, tomato, coconut, fennel seeds, chili powder and coriander powder.
Tamarind – Tamarind gives a tangy taste to the fish curry.
Tempering – A tempering is made using oil, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, garlic.
Onion, Tomato – Onion, tomato is sautéed after the tempering
Spice powders – Turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powders are added.
Coriander leaves – Coriander leaves is added for garnish, adds great flavor.

How to make Fish Curry Step by Step

1.In a teaspoon of oil sauté onion, tomato till it shrinks and raw smell leaves. Add all the ingredients listed under ‘to grind’ in a mixer along with onion tomato. Sprinkle little water and grind it to a fine paste.

2.Soak tamarind in warm water(say 1/4 cup), extract pulp and keep aside. Heat remaining oil in the kadai add mustard seeds, allow it to splutter. Clean fish, wash it well and add turmeric powder and set aside. Then add curry leaves, onion, garlic sauté for 3 minutes then add tomatoes sauté until raw smell leaves.

3.Then add the grinded paste, turmeric powder. Add 1/4 cup water(adjust according to thickness), required salt and allow it to boil for 15-20 minutes. Add tamarind pulp and allow it to boil.

4.When oil separates add the cleaned fish pieces. Allow it to boil and the fish to cook well.

5.The fish will cook faster so be careful not to break the pieces. Once the fish turns soft and the curry is well boiled and thick, oil will start collecting at the edges as shown below. At this stage garnish with coriander leaves and switch off.

Give resting time for at least an hour before you serve. Serve hot with rice, tastes heavenly. Tastes best the next day or even after that.

Expert Tips

Once fish is added it gets cooked faster so can’t boil for more time, so allow the curry to boil well before the fish is added, which gives a nice taste to the curry.
You can even marinate the fish with little salt, turmeric powder and lemon as suggested by a reader.

Serving and Storage

Fish Curry can be served with rice, roti etc. This curry keeps well in fridge for 2 days, reheat and serve it.

If you have any more questions about this Fish Curry Recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .

Tried this Fish Curry Recipe? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.

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