Vanjaram Fish Curry (king Fish) Recipe

Prepare fish

Rinse the vanjaram steaks or cubes and pat dry. Sprinkle 1 tsp turmeric, 1.5 tsp salt and 1 tbsp lime juice over the fish pieces. Gently mix and set aside to marinate for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the paste and tamarind.

Soak a golf-ball-sized tamarind in 1/2 cup hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze and strain through a sieve to yield about 1/2 to 1 cup tamarind pulp. Add extra water to reach 3 cups total liquid (including tamarind liquid and additional water) for the curry. Keep the tamarind broth warm.

Stir in 1 tsp jaggery (or brown sugar) and 1 tsp salt into the tamarind broth to taste; adjust later after cooking.

Dry roast on medium heat: 6 dry red chilies, 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp mustard seeds in a skillet until fragrant (2-3 minutes). Remove and cool.

In the same pan, add the shallots (6 pcs) and garlic (6 cloves) and sauté lightly until they soften and begin to color, about 3-4 minutes. Add grated fresh coconut and roast for another 2 minutes until the coconut is aromatic but not browned. Remove and cool.

Transfer the roasted spices, shallots, garlic and coconut to a blender. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the warm tamarind water to help blend. Grind to a smooth paste (add up to an additional 1/4 cup water if necessary). Set the spice-coconut-tamarind paste aside.

Heat 3 tbsp coconut oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. When hot, add 1 tsp mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add curry leaves and 2 slit green chilies and sauté briefly until aromatic (10-20 seconds).

Add 1 cup sliced shallots/onion and sauté on medium heat until translucent and lightly browned at edges, about 6-8 minutes. This builds the base flavor for the curry.

Stir in the prepared spice-coconut-tamarind paste and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium-low, stirring frequently so it doesn’t stick. Cooking the paste helps remove raw flavors and deepens the spice aroma.

Pour in the remaining tamarind-broth (to make total 3 cups). Stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 6-8 minutes so flavors meld and the rawness of tamarind reduces slightly.

Check seasoning and adjust salt and jaggery/sugar to balance sour and sweet. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder to the curry and stir.

Gently slide the marinated fish pieces into the simmering curry in a single layer. Do not stir vigorously. Spoon some curry over the fish to coat.

Simmer on low-medium heat for 7-9 minutes (depending on thickness) until fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Avoid overcooking; once opaque and just starting to flake, remove from heat.

Turn off the heat and drizzle 1 tsp coconut oil (optional) for gloss. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves and squeeze a little lime or lemon if desired.

Serve the Vanjaram Fish Curry hot with steamed rice, appam, or neer dosa.