Fish in Coconut Milk
Meen moilee is a South Indian fish curry from Kerala, where white fish fillets are briefly poached in a spiced coconut milk sauce. The dish comes from along India’s west and south coast, where coconut and fish are everyday staples. The coconut milk softens the warm spices and gives a mild, creamy sauce that brings everything together without dominating.
The spice mix is straightforward: ground cloves and cardamom, fresh chilli, garlic, ginger, and vindaloo masala stirred with a little lemon juice to make a paste. This is spread over the fish fillets, which are briefly fried in the pan with onion before simmering in the coconut milk until just done.
Use a firm white fish – sole, plaice, haddock, or cod all work. Serve with rice.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 2 cloves, ground
- 4 green cardamom pods, ground
- 2 green chillies, crushed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 cm fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp vindaloo masala
- lemon juice, to taste
- 500 g white fish fillet (e.g. sole or plaice)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 300 ml coconut milk
- salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
Directions
Mix the ground cloves, cardamom, crushed chilli, garlic, ginger, vindaloo masala, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add lemon juice a little at a time, just enough to bring it together into a thick, full paste.
Pat the fish fillets dry with kitchen paper. Spread the spice paste evenly over one side of the fillets.
Heat the oil in a wide, deep frying pan or a shallow pot. Fry the sliced onion over medium heat until soft and golden, about 5–6 minutes.
Place the fish fillets in the pan, spice-side down. Fry for about 1–2 minutes on each side until the surface is golden. Handle the fish gently so it does not break.
Pour in the coconut milk and season with salt. Simmer gently, covered, over low heat for about 15 minutes until the fish is heated through and the sauce has absorbed the flavour of the spices.
Scatter with fresh coriander and serve with cooked rice.
Notes
Vindaloo masala can be replaced by garam masala plus a pinch of hot chilli powder if you do not have the blend to hand. The flavour will be milder but the dish still works.
The sauce will be thinner if you use carton coconut milk rather than tinned. Choose full-fat tinned coconut milk for the right consistency.
The fish must not boil – it should only simmer. Too much heat makes it dry and stringy.
Active time 20 minutes. Cooking time 30 minutes.
See Also
Ambulthiyal (Sri Lankan Sour Fish Curry)
Cucumber Raita (Kheera Raita)
Coconut Chutney
