There is no need to grind or make a spice paste in this quick and easy one-pot Fish Curry with Okra and Eggplant. Just as tasty and delicious.
Malaysians love their curries and there is a myriad of curries to suit every taste bud. Today’s Fish Curry with Okra and Eggplant is another classic simplified for the busy cook. There is no need to drag out the blender to grind or make a spice paste. Simply chop up the ingredients with the knife on the chopping board and you are ready to cook. From start to finish, it takes only about 35 minutes to prepare.
Fish curries can be served with plain steamed rice or Indian flat breads. It is super delicious eaten with Roti Canai a.k.a. roti pratha, a very popular breakfast in Malaysia. Just the thought makes me crave for it…YUM!
There are many versions of fish curries and they are often made with vegetables. Okra (ladies fingers), eggplants (brinjals), and tomatoes are the favorites. Ro-Ri San recently brought home a few different varieties of eggplants from the farmers market. The mini white eggplants were so pretty and are the perfect size for curries. These are not as easily available and so you may want to use either the long Asian eggplants, Thai round and green eggplants, or the Indian oval eggplants. They would all work.
Fish curry powder is preferred when making fish curry. It has less spices as compared to meat curry powder with fenugreek as an essential spice in the mix. The result is a sharper and brighter taste more suited for fish than chicken or beef curries. However, if you cannot find fish curry powder, please use whatever kind of curry powder you have on hand and add some tomatoes to the curry.
As for the fish, Spanish mackerel steaks is the norm. Unfortunately, that is not easily available here. They are only found frozen at the Asian markets. I prefer to use fresh fish I can find here and salmon is the most common and easily available. The white fish like tilapia and cod tend to release a lot of water into the curry, hence diluting it. Also, they flake or break up easily instead of remaining in chunks. Some people find salmon “fishy” but since curry has a strong flavor, I think it is just fine. Do give it a try.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- 1 inch ginger (julienned) (30g)
- 3 tbsp curry powder (either fish / meat curry powder)
- 2 cups coconut milk (480ml)
- 1 sprig curry leaves (stem removed)
- Salt to taste
- 12 oz mini eggplant (halved) (340g)
- 12 oz okra (trimmed) (340g)
- 1 lb salmon (skin removed and cut into ¼ inch thick slices) (450g)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat vegetable oil in a medium sized pot. Fry onion, garlic, and ginger in hot oil until soft, about 3 minutes. Add fish curry powder and continue to stir for another 2 minutes.
- Pour in coconut milk. Add curry leaves. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Remove lid. Season with salt.
- Add mini eggplants and okra. Cover and bring it back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove lid and add salmon. Cover and continue to cook for another 3 minutes.
- Turn off stove.
NUTRITION
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
I made this last week and it was so delicious. Thank you for posting this and many other tasty but practical recipes.
I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
The fish curry turn out very well. We all love it especially my husband. And it is so quick and easy to make, just right for a busy person like me. Thank you for the recipe.
That is good to know. So glad to hear you and your husband enjoyed it. 🙂