Make this easy Tomato Fish Curry using simple ingredients in under 30 minutes. Serve it with steamed rice. Here is how to make it.
Try a few more of my favourite fish recipes here – Chettinad Fish Fry, Goan Fish Curry, Kerala Fish Curry, Allepey Fish Curry and Spicy Fish Fry.

About This Recipe
Tomato Fish Curry is a delicious North Indian curry where fish pieces are cooked in a spicy tomato based gravy. It is quite easy to make, uses simple ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes.
Serve it for comforting weekday meals with steamed rice and sliced onions on the side. You can also try it with phulka or lachha paratha.
Ingredients
Fish – I have used seer fish in this recipe, but you can use any fish that is preferred at home.
Oil – Make this curry in mustard oil, as it lends it a unique flavour. You can also make it in vegetable oil if you don’t have mustard oil.
Spice powders – This fish curry is spiced with basic everyday spice powders such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Adjust the quantity of spice powders depending on your taste and preference.
Others – Ajwain/carom seeds, onion, ginger garlic paste, salt, green chillies, tomatoes and fresh coriander are other few ingredients that are required to make tomato fish curry.
Adjust the amount of green chillies depending on your taste.
Do not forget fresh coriander leaves, as it adds a refreshing taste with a pop of green in the curry.
Serving Suggestions
Tomato fish curry taste the best with plain steamed rice/jeera rice and some sliced onions on the side. You can also try it with Indian breads such as phulka, tawa paratha or lachha paratha.
Storing Suggestions
Tomato Fish Curry will last in the fridge for 2-3 days, stored in a clean and dry air tight container. Reheat in a pan or microwave, and adjust the consistency by adding hot water if it becomes thick after refrigeration.
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Step by Step
Wash the fish nicely and drain the excess water. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add ajwain and let it crackle for a few seconds. Add onion and fry until it is slightly browned.

Add ginger garlic paste and fry until onion turns golden brown.

Now add coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder and salt and fry for a few seconds.

Add tomato and cook until oil starts to separate on the sides.


Add 3 cups of water and bring the curry to a boil.

Now add fish pieces and garam masala powder and cook for 10-12 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Recipe Card

Tomato Fish Curry
Ingredients
- 500 g Fish slices (I used Seer Fish)
- 4 tablespoon Mustard oil
- ½ teaspoon Ajwain
- 1 cup Onion (Chopped)
- 2 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
- 2 tablespoon Coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups Tomato (Grated)
- 1-2 Green chilli (Slit into half)
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
- 2 tablespoon Fresh coriander (Chopped)
Instructions
- Wash the fish nicely and drain the excess water.
- Heat mustard oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add ajwain and let it crackle for a few seconds.
- Add onion and fry until it is slightly browned.
- Add ginger garlic paste and fry until onion turns golden brown.
- Now add coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder and salt and fry for a few seconds.
- Add green chilli and tomato and cook until oil starts to separate on the sides.
- Add 3-4 cups of water and bring the curry to a boil.
- Now add fish pieces and garam masala powder and cook for 10-12 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh coriander.
- Serve hot with steamed rice.
Sherbano Dossa
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!
Neha Mathur
Happy to hear 🙂
Heather
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!