Fish Curry Meen Kerala Style

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If you’ve never had Kerala meen (fish) curry, you are in for something special. A Kashmiri chili based curry made with kudampuli gives this dish its deep color and signature flavor. And it’s one of those dishes that tastes 10x better the next day. Spicy, tangy, and packed with the flavors of Kerala.

What is Kerala Fish Curry?

Kerala fish curry is the kind of dish that feels like comfort from the very first bite. Coming from Kerala, India, it uses ingredients like Kashmiri chili powder and kodampuli to create its signature flavor. It’s rich, spicy, tangy, and completely different from most fish dishes. Vibrant to say the least, and incredibly comforting. And somehow, this dish just gets better the longer it sits.

What are the ingredients?

This fish curry has some of the usual culprits you’ll find in Kerala cooking, but the four main ingredients that really define the dish are kodampuli, fenugreek seeds, Kashmiri chili powder, and fish.

1. Fenugreek Seeds: These add a beautiful earthiness to the curry and are a must to really get the flavor on point.
2. Kodampuli: The most important ingredient in my opinion. It’s a dried fruit that, on its own, is pretty sour and strong. But once it simmers in the curry, it pulls everything together and gives the fish curry its signature flavor.
3. Kashmiri Chili Powder: This is what gives the curry its iconic red color and spicy flavor. Kashmiri chili powder isn’t as spicy as other chili powders, so don’t worry about overdoing it. If you go too light on this, you’ll end up with more of an orange curry instead of that beautiful deep red.
4. Fish: And what’s a fish curry without fish? I love using salmon, but whatever you can get your hands on works. The main thing is to make sure the pieces are meaty and cut to roughly the same size. I like using steak cut fish and cutting them into large cubes. You want pieces large enough that they stay intact while cooking, but tender enough to easily flake apart when served.

The Cooking Process

Making the Masala: The Masala is your main flavor bomb here. It’s a combination of mustard seeds, fenugreek, aromatics, and a good amount of Kashmiri chili powder. Cook everything together until you have a beautiful masala.

Simmering: Once the masala is made, add a bit of water and let everything simmer together before adding in the fish. This gives the spices and flavors time to disperse evenly through the curry, creating a smoother, more balanced gravy. Once the fish goes in, there’s less room to stir, so this step helps make sure everything is well combined from the start.

Adding in Fish: After a light simmer, once everything is combined, it’s time to add in our fish. Top it off with a little bit more water if needed and simmer away. I also add the kudampuli here, but it's completely fine to add it in the step before as well.

Mixing: You'll need to mix the dish here and there, but when you do, DO NOT USE A SPOON! I repeat, DO NOT MIX THIS WITH A SPOON! Once the cooking process starts, the fish becomes super tender and will break very easily. Instead, grab the pot and gently swirl it in one direction. This moves the curry around the fish and brings everything together without breaking those beautiful pieces apart.

My fish curry tastes a little mehhh...

Ahhh. I’ve been through this too many times, and it’s almost always one of two things.

1. Salt: Make sure you add enough salt. Fish like salmon need a good amount.
2. Wait A Day: Every person who's made this fish curry knows it always tastes better the next day. This is because the curry need time for the flavors to settle and the fish to soak up all that tangy goodness. Allow it to sit on the counter after cooking for a few hours and in the fridge for overnight. You'll be amazed how much better it tastes the next day.

Okay, if you made it this far, you're basically a pro at making Kerala fish curry. So why not give it a shot and make it yourself? And always remember, have fun when you cook!

Recipe

Yield: 4-5 servings