Alleppey Fish Curry Recipe

By Neha Mathur

5 from 8 votes
Updated: Oct 26, 2026
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Creamy coconut, tangy raw mangoes or tamarind, and bold spices come together in this classic Alleppey fish curry. Slow-simmered to perfection, the fish soaks up every layer of Kerala’s coastal flavors, light, comforting, and deeply satisfying in every bite.

Alleppey fish curry in a bowl with seer fish steak, raw mango slices and green chilies in an orange coconut gravy.

Quick Look: Alleppey Fish Curry

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: Approx. 430 per serving
Dietary Info: Gluten-free, dairy-free
Skill Level: Easy
Tools Needed: Wide pan with a lid.

Table of Contents

On our first trip to Kerala, we stayed in a houseboat on the backwaters. The luxury boat also had a chef who was supposed to prepare breakfast and dinner for us. An hour before boarding, we were asked about our food preferences.

As usual, I asked him to make local specialties we hadn’t tasted before. It was almost the start of summer, and raw mangoes were in season. He made the most flavorful, spicy fish curry with raw mangoes for dinner.

The curry was so delicious that I asked him for the recipe, and he obliged. Since then, I have never missed a summer without making it. I’m sharing it with you all to enjoy!

You may also like these fish curry recipes: tomato fish curry, fish molee, Goan fish curry, and Kerala fish curry.

Ingredients

  • Coconut Oil – Make the curry in coconut oil for a traditional taste.
  • Raw Mangoes add a nice tang to the curry. During the summer months, they are available at any Indian grocery store. If not, use tamarind paste instead.
  • Fish – I used Seer fish slices in this recipe. You can use any fish you like.
  • Spice Powders – The curry uses turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chili powder.
  • Fresh Ingredients – You will need green chilies, curry leaves, onions, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes.
  • Others – You will also need black mustard seeds, salt, and coconut milk. Some people also add fenugreek seeds to this curry. You can use them too.

How To Make Alleppey Style Fish Curry

Step 1: Heat 5 tablespoons of coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds, 3-4 green chilies (slit in half), and 10-12 curry leaves, and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.

Add ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds at this stage if you want. They add a subtle bitterness and an earthy aroma to the curry.

Mustard seeds, green chilies and curry leaves spluttering in hot coconut oil in a wide pan.

Step 2: Add 1 ½ cups thinly sliced onions, 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger, and 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic, and cook until the onions turn translucent (4-5 minutes), stirring frequently.

Sliced onions, ginger and garlic sautéing in the tempered coconut oil until soft and translucent.

Step 3: Add 1 cup of finely chopped tomatoes and cook for a minute, stirring frequently.

Chopped tomatoes added to the sautéed onion masala in the pan.

Step 4: Add 1 medium raw mango (sliced, peel on or peeled) and ½ cup water, then mix well. Cover the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.

You can replace raw mangoes with 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste.

Raw mango pieces and water added to the onion-tomato base, ready to simmer covered.

Step 5: Add 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, and 2 teaspoons of Kashmiri red chili powder, then cook for 1 minute.

Salt, turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chili powder added to the simmering mango base.

Step 6: Add 500 g fish slices, 1 cup water, and 1 cup coconut milk. Stir gently by shaking the pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Seer fish slices simmering in the curry after adding water and coconut milk.

Step 7: Serve hot with rice or appam.

Finished Alleppey fish curry in the pan, ready to serve with rice or appam.

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A bowl of Alleppey Fish Curry with rich orange gravy, slices of raw mango, and a fish steak, garnished with fresh herbs, placed on a brown mat, with green chilies and mango slices scattered around.
5 from 8 votes

Alleppey Fish Curry Recipe

By: Neha Mathur
Creamy coconut, tangy raw mangoes or tamarind, and bold spices come together in this classic Alleppey fish curry. Slow-simmered to perfection, the fish soaks up every layer of Kerala’s coastal flavors, light, comforting, and deeply satisfying in every bite.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
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Ingredients 

  • 5 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 3-4 green chilies (slit in half)
  • 10-12 curry leaves
  • 1 and ½ cups thinly sliced onions
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
  • 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
  • 1 medium-sized raw mango (cut into wedges, or 1 tablespoon tamarind paste)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 500 grams fish slices
  • 1 cup coconut milk
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Instructions 

  • Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
  • When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, chilies, and curry leaves and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.
    • Add ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds at this stage if you want. They add a subtle bitterness and an earthy aroma to the curry.
  • Add onions, ginger, and garlic, and cook till onions turn translucent (4-5 minutes), stirring frequently.
  • Add tomatoes and cook for a minute, stirring frequently.
  • Add raw mangoes (or tamarind paste) and ½ cup of water, and mix well. Cover the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the salt, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder, and cook for a minute.
  • Add fish slices, 1 cup water, and coconut milk. Stir gently by shaking the pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes.
  • Check for salt and add more if needed.
  • Serve hot with rice or appam.

Video

Notes

You can choose to peel the mangoes or not.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 26g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 63mg, Sodium: 787mg, Potassium: 719mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 703IU, Vitamin C: 65mg, Calcium: 60mg, Iron: 3mg
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5 from 8 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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14 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Wow, this Alleppey Fish Curry recipe looks amazing! I love how you’ve detailed each step, making it easy to follow. The combination of tangy tamarind and spicy flavors truly captures the essence of Kerala cuisine. Can’t wait to try this at home and pair it with some steamed rice or appam. Thanks for sharing such a delightful recipe!

    Reply

  7. Hi.. I tried ur recipe… I am a pure vegetarian…however my hubby is a non – vegetarian.. I am from Bangalore and he us from Trivandrum and I am sure u know how much they love fish here.. I made this curry today and I asked him how it was.. And guess what he said-“it’s too good”!! Its very difficult to please him.. He is a perfectionist and would not adjust if it doesn’t turn out well. He wud starve.. Bt he won’t eat anything just like that.. Thus one he just loved it

    Reply