A mildly spiced fish stew made in coconut milk, fish moilee is a popular dish from Kerala, in South India. Usually served with appam or bread, it stands out for its spice composition, which relies on black pepper for the burst of flavour but skips the trademark chilli burst associated with many South Indian stews. Creamy, rich, and a favourite of locals and tourists alike, this recipe is a must-try for all seafood lovers.
Clean the fish and cut it into small pieces. In a small bowl, add 1 tbsp of lemon juice, ½ tsp each of turmeric and pepper powders, and salt. Use this mix to marinate the fish thoroughly. Keep aside the marinated fish for 15-20 minutes.
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Step 2: Shallow-fry the fish
Add 1 tbsp of oil to a pan on medium heat. Now, shallow fry the fish on both sides. Keep it aside.
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Step 3: Make the moilee base
In a separate pan, add oil and heat on a medium flame. Add curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Sauté for a minute until the mix turns aromatic. Then add sliced onions and sauté until they turn translucent (but not brown).
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Step 4: Add the coconut milk
Once the onions turn translucent, add the remaining pepper powder and turmeric powder, along with thin coconut milk. Give it a good mix. Cover the pan and let the curry boil on a medium flame for 5-6 minutes, until the oil separates. Now, reduce the flame to low, add the remaining lemon juice, and mix.
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Step 5: Add the fried fish
Add the fried fish to the curry. Now, use a spoon or rotate the pan to cover the fish with the curry. Do not stir after adding the fish. Bring the curry to a boil and then add thick coconut milk. Now, keep the flame on low and cook for two minutes. Important: Ensure the curry does not boil after this.
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Step 6: Add the tomatoes
Add the tomatoes, close the lid and switch off the flame. Let the tomato cook in the remaining steam. Serve it hot with appam or rice.