Kerala Fish Curry

Kerala’s fish curry is a daily ritual along the coast, where the fresh catch meets a fiery coconut-tamarind gravy. It is traditionally cooked in a clay pot, which lets the flavors mellow and deepen as the curry simmers. Every coastal home has its own proportions, passed down like a family heirloom, and everyone insists theirs is the best.

Fiery, tangy, and unapologetically coastal

The gravy is thin enough to soak into rice but intense with heat from ground red chilies and sourness from tamarind and raw mango. Coconut milk mellows the fire into something rounded and aromatic, while curry leaves and shallots perfume every spoonful. It is best the day after it is made, when the fish has drunk up all the flavor and the gravy has settled into something even deeper. Many homes add a few slices of raw mango to the pot when they are in season, for an extra layer of tang.

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Curious how this curry compares to others? Our World of Curries guide explains 8 styles.

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