Malvani Fish Curry Recipe | How To Make Malvani Fish Curry

Malvani Fish Curry Recipe: Enjoy this famously fiery, spicy, tangy, and delectable seafood classic from the Malvan coastal region of western India. Our quick and easy recipe of this iconic Malvani fish curry made with coconut and kokum will delight and wow all seafood lovers.

Malvani cuisine—named for the town of Malvan in Sindhudurg district on the west coast of Maharashtra—is a fusion of Maharashtrian, Konkani, and Goan cuisines, but it has its own unique flavours and distinctive spice profile.
 

Given its coastal location, it’s not surprising that Malvani cuisine features a great many seafood dishes—including Malvani fish curry, prawn, shellfish, and squid curries—and is particularly renowned for its incendiary fish curries. Malvani fish curries are available in a variety of gravies using diverse combinations of spices and ingredients, as well as dry and wet cooking styles.
 

The base for any Malvani dish, including this easy Malvani fish curry recipe, is Malvani masala, which is simple and quick to make. Malvani spice paste or masala or gravy is a special blend of spices that lends the cuisine its distinctive taste. Malvani gravy is reddish brown in colour and spicy because of the extensive use of red chillies. Malvani masala is used not only in seafood and coconut-based dishes, but also in vegetable, lentil, and bean dishes, as well as chicken and mutton curries. It can last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for some months.
 

Surmai is a popular choice for our Malvani fish curry recipe, but any firm-fleshed fish like pomfret, tilapia, red snapper, or trout will also work well. The mild taste of pomfret adapts beautifully to the rich and robust flavours of Malvani masala in this Malvani style fish curry.
 

Kokum (Garcinia Indica) provides sourness and tanginess to the dish. If kokum is not available, substitute it with tamarind paste or tamarind extract. Dried red Byadgi chillies give this Malvani fish curry recipe its heat, and we have added dried red Kashmiri chillies for a beautiful orange–red colour without imparting too much heat. Adjust the level of hotness to suit your taste.

It’s a good idea to allow the fish curry to rest for an hour before serving so that both gravy and fish absorb all the flavours and aromatics of the masala. Be careful not to overcook the fish. The fish is added at the end to prevent overcooking. 
 

Serve Malvani fish curry with steamed plain rice, jackfruit bhaji, fish fry, kombdi vade, and ras-poli for a complete meal. Pickled onions makes a good accompaniment.

Wash down this fish curry Malvani with solkadhi, the pink-coloured drink made from kokum and coconut milk. It’s the perfect coolant for a hot and spicy Konkani or Malvani meal.
 

Learn how to make Malvani Fish Curry at home with our step by step Malvani fish curry recipe video and detailed recipe with all ingredients and cooking method right here.
 

You will also enjoy our other coastal recipes like:

Mangalore Prawn Curry
Konkani Masala Potatoes
Spicy Konkani Carrot Salad
Rava Fried Masala Fish
Green Chilly Egg Curry

Or check out all our delicious Fish Recipes here.