Tomato Fish Curry Recipe (North Indian Style)
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This Tomato Fish Curry Recipe is a delicious North Indian-style curry in which fish pieces are cooked in a spicy tomato-based gravy. It is easy to make, uses simple ingredients, and comes together in under 30 minutes. Serve it for comforting meals with steamed rice and sliced onions. It also pairs well with phulka, naan, or tandoori roti.
Here are a few more of my favorite fish recipes. Try them: Goan Fish Curry, Kerala Fish Curry, and Allepey Fish Curry.
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Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Fish – In this recipe, I used seer fish (surmai, vanjaram) cut into slices, but you can use any fish you like. I got frozen seer fish fillets from the Indian grocery store. Make sure to thaw the fillets before adding them to the curry.
- Oil – Make this curry in mustard oil for the best flavor. If mustard oil is unavailable, use another cooking oil.
- Spice Powders – This fish curry is spiced with Indian spice powders such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and garam masala powder.
- Others – You will also need carom seeds (ajwain), red onions, ginger-garlic paste, salt, green chilies, fresh tomatoes, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
Adjust the green chilies as per your taste.
How To Make Tomato Fish Curry
Step 1: Wash 1 pound (500 g) of fish slices well and drain the excess water. If using frozen fish, then thaw it before using it in the recipe. Heat 4 tablespoon mustard oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon carom seeds and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds. Add 1 cup of chopped red onions and cook until they are light brown (5-6 minutes), stirring frequently.
Step 2: Add 2 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste and cook until the onions turn golden brown (6-7 minutes).
Step 3: Now add the following ingredients and cook for 10-12 seconds.
- 2 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Step 4: Add 2 cups of grated fresh tomatoes and 1-2 green chilies (slit in half), and cook until the oil separates on the sides (2-3 minutes), stirring frequently.
Step 5: Add 3 cups of water and bring the curry to a boil.
Step 6: Now add the fish slices and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Step 7: Check for salt and add more if needed. Garnish with 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Storage Suggestions
Tomato Fish Curry can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave until hot, then serve.
Other Indian Curry Recipes We Recommend
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Tomato Fish Curry Recipe (North Indian Style)
Ingredients
- 500 grams fish slices (I used Seer fish)
- 4 tablespoons mustard oil (or any other cooking oil)
- ½ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- 1 cup chopped red onions
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 2 cups grated fresh tomatoes
- 1-2 green chilies (slit into half)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
- Wash the fish slices well and drain the excess water. If using frozen fish, then thaw it before using it in the recipe.
- Heat mustard oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add carom seeds and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add onions and cook until they are light brown in color (5-6 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add ginger garlic paste and cook until onions turn golden brown (6-7 minutes).
- Now add coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt, and cook for 10-12 seconds.
- Add tomatoes and cook until oil starts to separate on the sides (2-3 minutes) stirring frequently.
- Add 3 cups of water and bring the curry to a boil.
- Now add the fish slices and garam masala powder and cook for 10-12 minutes.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
is there a substitute for Carom seeds?
You can skip adding it.
This is exactly the recipe I was looking for. My husband had been pining for fish curry, and every recipe I tried, while tasty enough, kept missing the mark. He specified a tomato base and no coconut milk; this is harder to find than you’d think! This recipe hit it out of the park!
Made this fish curry last night and it turned out great! Spicy and perfectly sour – plus I love how easy it was to make! I used frozen fish and added it into the curry the same way and cooked for 12 minutes. Just great!
Happy to hear 🙂