Try this Coconut Fish Curry recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- salt (to taste)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 1/2 pounds white fish fillet (rinsed and cut into bite sized
- 2 green chiles (sliced into stirps)
- 2 medium onions (sliced into strips)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (freshly grated)
- 6 leaves (bay leaves basil or kaffir leaves work too)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek
- 2 cups coconut milk (unswetened about one small can)
- lemon juice (to taste)
- Carbohydrate 2.92822250141366 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.544463750711621 g
- Fiber 0.913112521149462 g
- Protein 0.863978750569105 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0557635000490498 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (214g)
- Sodium 590.472625005368 mg
- Sugar 2.0151099802642 g
- Trans Fat 0.120807000109156 g
- Calories 17 calories
Step-by-step
- Press Saute to pre-heat the Instant Pot. when "hot" appears on the display, add in a swirl of oil and the curry leaves.
- Lightly fry the leaves until golden around the edges (about 1 minute).
- Add in the onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute until the onion is soft
- Add all of the ground spices: coriander, turmeric, chili powder and fenugreek. Saute them together with the onions until they have released their aroma (about 1 minute).
- Deglaze the pot with the coconut milk, scraping everything from the bottom of the pot to incorporate it into the sauce.
- Add in the green chiles, tomatoes and fish. Stir to coat.
- Close and lock the lid of the Instant Pot. Press Manual and adjust the time to cook for 3 minutes. When time is up, open the Instant Pot using quick release.
- Add salt and lemon juice to taste before serving. Enjoy!
Building Flavor Through Fat and Acid
Coconut milk acts as both an emulsion stabilizer and a flavor carrier, utilizing medium-chain triglycerides to coat the palate. Deglazing the stainless steel insert with two cups of coconut milk requires scraping any browned proteins from the base to prevent scorching under pressure. Tomatoes contribute natural glutamates that amplify savory perception, while fresh lemon juice added at the end provides citric acid to brighten the rich coconut fats. Acidity must be balanced at the table because prolonged exposure to high heat degrades delicate citrus volatiles.
Managing Texture Under Pressure
Delicate protein structures demand precise timing when subjected to sealed steam environments. White fish fillets cut into bite-sized pieces cook through in three minutes at high pressure, but overcooking causes muscle fibers to contract forcefully, squeezing out moisture and disintegrating into the sauce. Quick release venting halts the thermal carryover immediately, preserving the structural integrity of the fish chunks. Gentle stirring after pressure release incorporates the cherry tomatoes and green chiles without breaking down their cell walls into a puree.
