Fish is used in a lot of dishes in Sri Lanka and curry is no exception. We eat lots of curry in Southeast Asia and the same applies to South Asia. I think Curry is one of the most well-known International dish around the world with hundreds of varieties.
I decided to give this Sri Lankan Fish Curry a try because I wanted to taste and see how different it is with the curry in Southeast Asia. I know particularly in Indonesia, curry is usually cooked with quite a fair bit of coconut milk, resulting in thick and rich curry. The Sri Lankan Fish Curry also calls for coconut milk, however it is quite a humble amount compare to what I used to fix. I really enjoy this Fish Curry because it is very flavorful from all the spices used and it is very light and creamy. It made me not feeling guilty when I couldn’t stop spooning that gravy into my mouth.
SRI LANKAN FISH CURRY (2-3 servings)
1 lb boneless swordfish or any other fish that is firm and hold its shape such as salmon, pompano, sole, haddock, kingfish, and mackerel
Salt
3 Tbsp olive or canola oil
1/4 tsp whole brown mustard seeds
1/4 tsp whole fennel seeds
1/3 cup finely chopped red onions
1 clove garlic, chopped
15-20 fresh curry leaves or 10 fresh basil leaves, torn up
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/8 tsp ground turmeric
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup coconut milk from a well-shaken can
COOKING METHOD:
1. Cut the fish crossways into as many pieces as there are diners. Sprinkle each pieces lightly with 1/4 tsp salt on both sides
2. Put the oil in a frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the fennel seeds and then the onions. Stir and fry on medium heat until the onion soften a bit, about 2-3 minutes
3. Add the garlic and curry leaves. Stir another minute. Now add the tomatoes, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir a minute. Add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook gently for 10 minutes. Put the fish into this sauce and cook on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes or until one side of the fish turns opaque. Turn the fish pieces over. Add the coconut milk, stir the sauce gently, and bring to a simmer again on medium heat, spooning the sauce over the fish. When the fish turns opaque all the way through, it is done
