Whip up this quick and easy fish curry recipe in under 30 minutes for a simple mid-week meal. The bold curry flavours, combined with the creaminess of coconut milk, are bound to win over even the most skeptical fish eaters.
TOTAL TIME INVESTMENT: 30 MINUTES
All families have those evenings. Those nights when everybody disperses in different directions, all demanding to be fed at different times. On those nights you need a meal that is happy to sit around, is easily reheated, and does not need to be served piping hot to be enjoyed. A good curry is usually that meal in our house.
Add in the fact that this easy curry recipe is ready in just 30 minutes and you have the perfect meal in my eyes. If you are looking for more 30 minute meal ideas, make sure you grab the free ebook with some of my favourite 30 minute meals from the Resource Library. Simply click the link below to gain access or request the password at the end of this post.
This simple curry is a family favourite at our house, and is a great dish to cook if your own family is a little apprehensive about fish. Choose a mild fish, and the bold flavours of the curry, combined with the creaminess of the coconut milk, are bound to win over even the most skeptical eaters.
I consider this simple recipe the best fish curry recipe out there. And whilst there is a slight chance I might be biased, but you will just have to try it to see if you agree.
Table of contents
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Ingredient Substitutions for Fish Curry
You can easily tweak this fish curry recipe to make the most of the ingredients you have on hand, and to suit for own family’s tastes:
- Any curry powder can be used in this recipe. If your family does not like heat, choose a mild curry powder. Like a little bit of spice? Then use a hot curry powder instead. Some Asian grocery stores stock curry powders made specifically for fish curry, although the curry powder can also be used for chicken and vegetable curries.
- If your curry powder contains a lot of turmeric – a really yellow powder will be high in turmeric – then omit the additional turmeric from the recipe and simply add an additional teaspoon of curry powder instead.
- Fresh curry leaves are not an essential ingredient for this fish curry recipe, but do enhance the curry flavour in the dish. Bags of fresh leaves are usually available in Asian specialty stores, and may also be purchased in some supermarkets. The fresh leaves freeze well, so if you find the leaves then stock up. The leaves do not need to be defrosted prior to use.
- If you cannot source fresh curry leaves, dried curry leaves can be used in place of the fresh leaves.
- This particular fish curry recipe works well with either fresh or frozen fish fillets. If your family really doesn’t like fish, try the recipe with chicken or vegetables instead.
Curry Paste or Curry Powder?
Ready made curry pastes and powders are an easy way to add flavour to any dish with little effort. Whilst both are a mix of spices blended together, curry paste may also contain moist ingredients such as fresh garlic, ginger and onions.
Curry pastes are mixed with vegetable oil to lock in the freshness of the ingredients, and typically fried off in a pan before adding additional ingredients, whilst curry powders are a mix of dried herbs that can be simply stirred into a dish at any point to add flavour.
I am not averse to using shortcuts when making curry, and always keep at least one jar of good curry paste in the cupboard ready to whip up a quick meal. I also love the depth of flavour that a curry paste can provide in a slow cooker curry; the robust pastes standing up well to the long cooking time.
Yet for speed and convenience, I prefer to use curry powder when it comes to making this particular fish curry recipe. A tin of curry powder takes up little space in the cupboard, and is handy to add a little flavour hum to all manner of dishes without having to open jars or tins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Just follow the easy recipe below for the best fish curry recipe on the interweb.
Use a firm fish that will not flake during cooking. Frozen fish fillets also work well in fish curry. My preferred fish species for this curry are cod, Saddletail Snapper and Goldband Snapper.
This fish curry recipe uses curry powder rather than curry paste. Simply fry off the curry powder for a minute before adding the other ingredients to release the flavours in the powder.
Curry is a dish that is actually better made in advance if you have the time. Making the dish in advance allows the flavours to develop and meld together.
However, if you wish to make my fish curry in advance, I would recommend that you make the sauce ahead of time (up to two days ahead) and then simply slip the raw fish into the sauce as you reheat the dish. This will ensure the finished curry dish doesn’t taste too “fishy”.
If your curry doesn’t have enough flavour, it may mean you haven’t added enough curry powder. Stir in a teaspoon at a time, tasting between additions, until you are happy with the taste of the dish.
A Few Final Tips & Tricks
I’ve been making this recipe for many years now, and over that time I have discovered a few simple tricks that will this fish curry into a firm family favourite:
- Chose a good quality coconut milk for this easy fish curry recipe. It will make all the difference to the end result. Read the ingredients label, and buy a brand that contains a high proportion coconut: the brand I use contains 70% coconut. A coconut milk with a high percentage of coconut will give a lovely creamy result to the final dish. If your coconut milk is quite watery, consider adding a little coconut cream as well as, or instead of, the coconut milk.
- When selecting fish to use in your quick fish curry, choose firm fillets that hold their shape once cooked. If the fish flakes too easily, it will fall apart in the sauce.
- I use frozen fish fillets in this particular curry. I can keep the fillets in the freezer, they defrost quickly, and this means I can whip up this curry without a trip to the shops.
- Milder fish varieties work better in this recipe. I find stronger flavoured fish overpowers the delicate curry flavours.
- Whilst the whole fish curry recipe can be frozen, you will achieve a better result if you freeze the sauce alone. To serve, bring the sauce up to a simmer, and then add the fish.
- This easy fish curry recipe is quick to put together and can be readily made in advance. I prefer to make the sauce earlier in the day, or even the night before, then slip the chunks of fish into the sauce to gently poach just prior to serving.
Other 30 Minute Meals You May Like
Everybody needs a few easy 30 minute meals in their repertoire. These are the meals I turn to time and time again when I can’t be bothered cooking, or I arrive home later than planned. I hope you enjoy them just as much as my family does:
- Creamy Tuna Pasta
- Gnocchi with Chorizo and Creamy Spinach
- Baked Italian Meatballs with Spaghetti
- Quick & Easy Fried Rice
- Asparagus & Goats Cheese Frittata
And don’t forget to grab my free 30 Minute Meals ebook from my Resource Library. Just grab the password for easy access below.
Enjoy!
Made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below.
And if you loved it, please don’t forget to rate it.
A Delicious and Easy Fish Curry in Just 30 Minutes
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger about a 5cm piece
- 2 teaspoons medium curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 10 – 15 fresh curry leaves
- 400 ml (13 ozs) coconut milk
- 2 medium tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 600 g (21 oz) firm white fish cut into 3cm chunks
- 20 g (1 cup) chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 1/2 lime juiced
Instructions
- Melt the coconut oil in a medium saucepan.
- Saute the onion for about 5 minutes over a medium heat until translucent and just starting to brown.
- Add the garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring gently for 1 minute.
- Add the curry powder, turmeric and curry leaves, and cook, stirring for a further minute until the mixture is fragrant.
- Slowly stir in the coconut milk, scraping up the spices and onion from the bottom of the saucepan. Bring the pan to a gentle simmer.
- Add the chopped tomato, and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes or until the tomato begins to soften.
- Add the fish and the salt to the sauce, and gently poach for about 6 – 8 minutes, or until the fish is cooked.
- Gently stir in the coriander and lime juice.
- Serve.
Notes
- If your curry powder contains a lot of turmeric you may wish to decrease or omit the additional teaspoon of turmeric in the recipe.
- Use a good quality coconut milk to ensure a creamy fish curry, or add a little coconut cream in place of some of the coconut milk,
- This curry can be prepared in advance. I recommend you make the sauce ahead, then slip the chunks of fish into the sauce to gently poach just prior to serving.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in July 2013 and was republished on 2nd May 2017 to update the text and recipe card. It was updated again on 30th October 2018 to add FAQ’s, and to improve the readability of the text. Additional FAQ’s and a Table of Contents were added on 4th March 2020.
WOAH!this looks super yummy..thank you so much for sharing this lovely fish recipe. will surely try it out!
Thanks Luis 🙂 I hope you enjoy it.
Most nicest fish curry I’ve tasted. Thanks for the sharing .
I’m so happy you liked it Glenys 🙂
Made this tonight and converted to make in my Thermomix. It was super yummy!! Thanks.
Pleasure Tarryn. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Hi Tarryn,
I wonder if you would mind sharing your TMX conversion? I usually make dinner with a toddler at my feet and a baby in my arms so I like this option better than the pan. 🙂
I would love to try this. Do you have a recommendation for a time in the slow cooker? I was thinking of putting all raw ingredients into the pot at once and cooking on low for 4hrs? But I really have no idea.
I’ve never cooked fish into the slow cooker Melissa, so I can’t advise you on that one. This recipe is so quick to make that I don’t think it is worth using the slow cooker. If you want to get ahead on it, make the sauce up to two days before you want it and keep it in the fridge (or freeze it). Then reheat the sauce just before eating and poach the fish in the curry sauce. The fish will cook in minutes. If you really want to use the slow cooker, I would probably use chicken instead.
Do let me know if you try the slow cooker. I would love to hear how it turns out.
What a nice and easy recipe! I’ve never seen curry leaves at my grocery store. Where do you find them, or what would you do in place of them? Just add more powder?
Hi Elle. You should be able to source curry leaves at any Asian grocery store. If they don’t have fresh leaves they should have dried ones. If you cannot source them simply leave them out. They do add flavour to the dish but are not a crucial ingredient.
I made it with fish for myself and vege for my husband with sweet potato mushrooms and peas both delicious. Thank you
I added potatoes because I didn’t have enough fish. It was so yummy.. thanks for sharing this low maintenance recipe.
I’m so glad you liked it Celia. I like the idea of adding potatoes to the dish. Thanks for sharing that variation.
Hi Tania I made the fish curry today with barramundi fish fillets and it was absolutely delicious. I’m a non fish eater as in I do eat fish in restaurants because of my hubby but this is first time in my life I have prepared fish curry at home all alone. Couldn’t stop eating it and it turned out creamy just like the picture posted😊 thanks a ton for the lovely recipe.
That makes me so happy to hear Lizanne. I am really happy that you liked it. Hopefully I’ve converted you to eating more fish at home 😀
Yes sure will definitely make this curry next and I’m very excited hubby is really fond of fish and loved it and I too made a lovely meal😊
That is great to hear Lizanne. And I’m glad hubby liked it too.
Made this today for our family dinner tonight, just tasting it as I cooked was delicious and I think my kids will enjoy it. I added a teaspoon of brown sugar to balance the flavors a little more for our taste. Thank you!
Pleasure Lisa. Glad your family enjoyed it 🙂
Made this tonight. Everybody loved it. I will be making again and again. Served with basmati rice and broccolini. Thank you
I’m so glad you liked it Laura. Great serving suggestions too. Thanks!
I’m totally with you on making curries ahead of time, Tania, as the flavours really meld together. I made this fish curry this morning and we ate it tonight. It was really delicious! I added some frozen spinach and some leftover veggies I had in the fridge. Am definitely saving this to my favourites board and making again. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
I’m so glad you liked it Donna. I love the idea of adding the spinach to it. I will give that a go next time!
Made this tonight! ABSOLUTELY DELISH!!
I used coconut cream and a tin of tomatoes and spinach instead of coriander and dropped a handful of prawns in too
Even my 3 yr old loved it! Will be making this again forsure
Thanks for letting me know Mardie – it must be good if I won over the 3 year old 😀 . I love the sound of your substitutions. I also never thought to use a tin of tomatoes, which is a fabulous idea when tomatoes are out of season. Thanks for sharing them.
This recipe is so delicious. I came home from work tonight, and could smell the spices cooking away as I walked up our driveway; a really authentic, indian / sri lankan style aroma! My boyfriend who made the dish was super impressed with how quick and straightforward it was. We had it with monkfish, and it was seriously so yum. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
You made my day Melissa! I am so happy you both liked it. It’s simplicity is what I really like about it too. And I’m glad it worked with the monkfish – thanks for letting me know.
Hi i néed to make this for a curry night.so i havé to take at 4 but prob wont eat till 7.can i make earlier and would i put in fridge and reheat or just make before i go and jeep warm in oven at friends house.
Hi Kerry, If you wish to make the curry ahead I would make the sauce and then add the fish when you are rewarming it at your friends house.
I’m a complete novice cook and can ruin just about any dish in record time – thank you for making me feel like an absolute pro! What a delicious, flavoursome meal that doesn’t require major skills! No leftovers tonight – my family all went back for seconds and thirds and ate the lot. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that Keryn, and so happy your family loved it too. Thank you so much for letting me know.
So delicious, love it!
Thank you 🙂
Thinking of doing this recipe for my meal prep, do you think it would hold up if portioned and frozen for future eating?
Hi Danni. It will freeze quite well, but you will have better results if you freeze just the sauce. Then all you need do is add the fish to the sauce when you reheat it. If you are short on time, you can poach whole fillets in the reheated sauce and break up the cooked fillets to serve. It won’t be pretty but it will be easy 🙂
This is my favourite fish curry go to. We eat this dish with a handful of spinach every few weeks!
I’m so glad you enjoy it Susan. I love the addition of spinach. I might have to give that a go myself.
Hello Tania
This fish curry was a success.I made it using sardines in tomato sauce their taste was enhanced.I aldo used Red curry Thai paste instead of powder.I loved it so much, I will make it more often.
Thank you for posting your substitutions. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
This came out delicious! I didn’t have any dried curry leaves, so I substituted the zest of a lime and a little bit of dried basil.
Next time I make it, my daughter suggested that I add some fresh thai basil and lemongrass. Great recipe!
Love the sound of your substitutes Lori. Let me know how it tastes if you do make it with the lemongrass/Thai basil combo.
Made that exact curry recipe for 40 guests at a wedding in W.A. recently, had no end of great comments, tried some later (next day) and must say totally awesome, will be making that again that’s for sure.
Thanks so much for letting me know Cid. I am glad you and the guests enjoyed it.
Wanting to make this tonight (The curry sauce to pour over baked fish). Are the curry leaves necessary? I don’t have any of those. Any suggestions?
Hi Joy. The curry leaves are not necessary, they just add flavour to the dish. You can absolutely leave them out. You could taste the sauce before you add the fish, and if it doesn’t have enough flavour for you try adding a little more curry powder.
This was so easy to make and sooo full
Of flavor my husband and I absolutely loved it. Will definitely be making it again:)
I’m glad you liked it Lori. Thanks for letting me know.