Sri Lankan-style mackerel curry

Name: Sri Lankan-style mackerel curry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped; 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped; 5cm knob fresh ginger, peeled and chopped; Vegetable oil, for frying; 20 fresh curry leaves; 1 pinch fenugreek seeds; 1 tsp black mustard seeds; ½ tsp caster sugar; 1 tbsp medium curry powder (I like Bolst’s), or use a hotter curry powder to taste; ½ tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; ¼ tsp ground turmeric; 1 x 200ml can coconut milk; 1 tbsp tamarind paste; 1 lemongrass stick, bruised with rolling pin; 1 x 120g tin mackerel in olive oil, drained; 2 tomatoes, chopped; 2 fresh green finger chillies, sliced; 1 big handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped; 1 lime, quartered, to serve

Recipe by Mitch Tonks

Serves:: 4
Prep Time:: 10 mins
Cook Time:: 30 mins

This gorgeous curry sauce can be made in batches. Chill or freeze, then just reheat, stir in a tin of your favourite fish and you’ll have a delicious fish curry that’s ready in minutes.

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Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

5cm knob fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

Vegetable oil, for frying

20 fresh curry leaves

1 pinch fenugreek seeds

1 tsp black mustard seeds

½ tsp caster sugar

1 tbsp medium curry powder (I like Bolst’s), or use a hotter curry powder to taste

½ tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp ground turmeric

1 x 200ml can coconut milk

1 tbsp tamarind paste

1 lemongrass stick, bruised with rolling pin

1 x 120g tin mackerel in olive oil, drained

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 fresh green finger chillies, sliced

1 big handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped

1 lime, quartered, to serve

Method

Put the garlic, onion and ginger in the small bowl of a food processor and blitz to a paste.

In a pan large enough to take everything later, heat a few teaspoons of oil. When hot, add the curry leaves, the fenugreek and mustard seeds, and fry for a minute or so, until they crackle. Add the onion paste and fry, stirring, for a few minutes, until slightly coloured. Add the sugar and all the other spices, then cook, stirring, until the raw smell of the spices is gone. Add 250ml water, the coconut milk, tamarind and lemongrass, stir to combine, then leave to simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Taste the curry sauce and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Add the drained fish, simmer gently for 10 minutes, then stir in the chopped tomatoes and sliced chillies. Sprinkle over the coriander and serve with rice and a squeeze of fresh lime.

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Mitch Tonks

Mitch Tonks is a restaurateur, food writer, CEO and ambassador for the MSC. Passionate about changing the way people experience seafood in the UK he has a true passion for the sea.

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