Alleppey Fish Curry is a Kerala Style spicy Fish Curry which is slightly tangy due to the use of raw mangoes or Tamarind. Here is how to make it.
Being from North India, I love feasting on Laccha Parathas and Malai Kofta but occasionally, I even crave a plateful of Steamed Rice and my favorite dal.
In order to not make things monotonous, I even prepare various curries which could be served as an accompaniment with Steamed Rice.
Alleppey Fish Curry or Kerala Meen Curry is one such curry that I prepare when it comes to non-vegetarian cuisine.
Oh, it tastes so heavenly with rice that I never get bored of relishing it.
Also known as Thenga Paal Meen Curry or Paccha Manga Meen Curry, this Kerala style fish curry from the Alleppey region has become a family favorite after we tasted it during our first visit to Kerala a few years back.
Slightly tangy because of the raw mangoes and with a prominent flavor of coconut milk, this curry goes very well with Appam as well.
This curry can also be made using tamarind for tartness in case raw mangoes are not available.
While we naturally tend to prepare more chicken-based dishes, preparing dishes from fish such as Alleppey Fish Curry has its own charm.
Just to prepare an authentic curry, I have generously used curry leaves, mustard seeds.
Also, coconut milk and raw mango create such culinary magic that whosoever eats this Fish Curry are sure to demand an extra serving!
As raw mangoes are still available in the market, quickly purchase the king of fruits and do prepare this curry using my quick recipe. Read on:
Pro Tips by Neha
To make any fish curry, start by choosing the fish which is very fresh. Fresh fish will have bulging eyes and pink or red gills. The smell will not be fishy and the flesh should be moist.
Wash the fish very well under running water to get rid of any kind of impurity.
You can apply a mix of gram flour and salt all over the fish and leave it aside for 10 minutes.
Then wash the fish well and remove the flour. It helps to clean the fish nicely and get rid of any foul smell.
Fish requires very little marination. So if marinating the fish, do not do it for more than an hour.
It is good enough for flavors to soak in the flesh.
While cooking the fish, do not overcook it. It will make the flesh chewy.
Ad the fish pieces in the curry once the curry is ready and comes to a boil. Then cook for 10-12 minutes and switch off the heat.
Some fish curries taste the best next day as the flavors get matured over time. So keep this point in mind while making the curries.
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Step by Step Recipe
Heat coconut oil in a pan.
When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. Fry till the seeds start to crackle.
Add green chilies and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
Add onion, ginger, and garlic and fry till onion turns translucent.
Add tomatoes and cook for a minute. Add raw mango and ½ cup water and cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add salt, turmeric powder, and red chili powder and cook for a minute.
Add fish, water and coconut milk and cook for 5-6 minutes. Serve hot with rice or appam.
Recipe Card

Alleppey Fish Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 3-4 Green Chilli (Slit into half)
- 10-12 Curry Leaves
- 1 and ½ cup Onion (Thinly Sliced)
- 1 teaspoon Ginger (Chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Garlic (Chopped)
- 1 cup Tomato (Chopped)
- 1 Raw mango (Cut into wedges)
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 500 g Fish (Sliced)
- 1 cup Water
- 200 ml Coconut Milk
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a pan.
- When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds.
- Fry till the seeds starts to crackle.
- Add green chilies and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
- Add onion, ginger and garlic and fry till onion turns translucent.
- Add tomatoes and cook for a minute. Add raw mango and ½ cup water and cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder and cook for a minute.
- Add fish, a cup of water and coconut milk and cook for 5-6 minutes.
- Add more water if the curry is too thick.
- Serve hot with rice or appam.
Prerana
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
Neha Mathur
I am so glad to hear this. Thnx for taking out time and leaving a comment 🙂
Prerana
????☺ I will try out the other recipes and will keep u posted on..
Thx again!!!
Neha Mathur
Sure. Thnx a lot 🙂
Prerana
Can we make this curry with pearl spot fish?
Neha Mathur
Yes sure, you can.
Dennis
Could you make this curry with Salmon?
Neha Mathur
Yes, you can.
Prerana
Hi.. can we use kodampuli or should we use the normal tamarind if we don’t have mango?
Disha
Nyums! Turned out so well..
Neha Mathur
Thanks for trying 🙂
Shibily
Hi Neha,
Is Sardine fish will be tasty with this curry or Pomfret?
Neha Mathur
Yes, any fish will work.