Fish Moilee
Firm white fish poached gently in coconut milk, added in two stages, thin milk first for cooking and thick milk stirred in at the end and only warmed through, never boiled, to keep the sauce from splitting. From Kerala's Syrian Christian community along the Malabar coast, where the spice trade brought centuries of European contact starting with the Portuguese in 1498; deliberately mild and aromatic, without the heavy dried chili heat of Andhra-style fish curries.
Seafood
⚠ Contains: Fish. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 500g firm white fish fillets (king fish, pomfret, or cod), cut into pieces
- 1 cup thick coconut milk
- 1 cup thin coconut milk, or water diluted
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 green chilies, slit
- 1-inch piece ginger, julienned
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 15 curry leaves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
- 1 tbsp vinegar, optional, for tang
- Salt, to taste
Steps
- Rub the fish pieces with turmeric and salt, and set aside.
- Heat the coconut oil in a wide pan and saute the onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves until the onions soften and turn translucent, not browned.
- Add the tomato and crushed pepper, and cook until softened.
- Pour in the thin coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the fish pieces and poach gently for 8-10 minutes until just cooked through.
- Lower the heat, stir in the thick coconut milk and vinegar if using, and warm through without boiling.
- Garnish with a few extra curry leaves and serve with rice or appam.