Goan Style Fish Curry with Spinach

DIFFICULTY
Easy Easy
COOK TIME
Under 30 min. Under 30 min.
SERVES
4-6 4-6
Goan Style Fish Curry with Spinach
Main ingredients
  • Fish & Seafood
Ingredients
Method

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
  • 2 white onions - sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic - minced
  • 55g of root ginger - peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 4 green cardamom pods - crushed with the back of a knife or spoon
  • 1 teaspoon course ground black pepper
  • 1 red chilli - finely sliced - remove seeds for less heat
  • 10 curry leaves - fresh or dried, optional
  • 400g can full fat coconut milk
  • 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
  • 2 teaspoons jaggery or palm sugar
  • 2 teaspoons fish/nam pla sauce - depending on taste
  • 600g firm fleshed white fish - skinned, boned and cut into chunks
  • 175g washed baby spinach
  • ½ lime
  • Small handful of fresh coriander

  • Method

  • 1
    Heat the combined ghee and oil in the Balti Dish, add the onions and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened and lightly caramelised.
  • 2
    Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
  • 3
    Add the tumeric, ground coriander, cumin, cardamom pods, black pepper, red chilli and the curry leaves; stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
  • 4
    Stir in the coconut milk, tamarind paste, palm sugar and fish sauce. Bring to a slow simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced by about a third.
  • 5
    Stir in the fish with half the spinach leaves, once the leaves have wilted add the remainder and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.
  • 6
    Adjust the seasoning to taste with a little salt or ¼ or ½ teaspoon extra fish sauce if liked.Finish with a squeeze of lime and the torn coriander leaves.
  • 7
    Cook's notes:
  • 8
    Fish - choose a variety of fish that will not break up when cooked: traditionally King fish would be used but good alternatives include Monkfish, Halibut, large Sea Bass, Mahi Mahi or Gurnard. Alternatively the fish can be substituted for prawns, choose a large, raw shelled variety.
  • 9
    Fresh curry leaves can be found in Asian stores or via the internet, dried leaves can be found in some supermarkets and in specialist food stores. Tamarind pastes can vary in intensity.
  • 10
    Jaggery or palm sugar is an unrefined sugar commonly used in Asian cuisine; if not available light brown sugar can be used to substitute.