Indo-Fijian fish curry

This fragrant coconut fish curry is a classic from Fiji’s Indo-Fijian kitchens — where Indian spice blends meet tropical island ingredients. Whole fish pieces are gently simmered in a silky coconut sauce infused with curry leaves, mustard seeds, makrut lime leaves, and the unmistakable warmth of Fijian curry powder. It’s vibrant, comforting, and perfect with steamed rice or roti.

Credit: Supplied by Fuzz Ali

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 12 garlic cloves
• 4 fresh chillies (optional)
• 3 cm x 4 cm piece ginger
• Salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 makrut lime leaves, torn
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 400 g can diced tomatoes
• 2 heaped tbsp Indo-Fijian curry powder
• ½ tsp sugar (optional)
• 2 cups (500 ml) coconut milk
• 1 lemon, juiced, divided
• 1 medium whole fish (e.g. snapper or reef fish), cleaned, cut into serving pieces
• 200 g baby Roma tomatoes, halved
• 2 eschallots, finely chopped
• Coriander leaves, roughly chopped, to serve

Instructions

1. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic, ginger and chillies (to your taste) with a pinch of salt to form a coarse paste. Set aside.
   
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and allow to pop, then stir through the fennel seeds, makrut lime leaves and curry leaves. Cook, stirring until fragrant. Stir through the prepared garlic-ginger-chilli paste and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant.
   
3. Add the diced tomatoes to the pan and cook for a further few minutes, until the mixture thickens. Add the curry powder, then season generously with salt and sugar (if using). Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
   
4. Add the coconut milk and half the lemon juice. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium. Gently add the fish pieces to the sauce, spooning over the curry sauce to coat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until the fish is tender and cooked through. Remove from the heat.
   
5. In a small bowl, combine the baby tomatoes, eschallots and remaining lemon juice with a pinch of salt. Spoon the dressed tomatoes over the curry and sprinkle with coriander and serve.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.