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5.0 from 3 votes

Masala Fry Fish Curry

This Masala Fry Fish Curry is a delicious and easy recipe made with Tilapia Filets nestled in a dry tomato based curry!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 381 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian , Pakistani

Ingredients

The Fish Curry
  • 2 lbs tilapia (see notes)
  • ¼ cup neutral cooking oil
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 teaspoon garlic paste (see notes)
  • 2 teaspoon ginger paste (see notes)
  • 2 roma tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon carom seeds(ajwain) (optional)
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 Serrano chilies (see notes)
  • 2 green onions
  • 10 curry leaves
  • ½ cup cilantro
The Masala Fry Spice Mix
  • 1 teaspoon salt (see notes)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder (see notes)
  • ½ teaspoon kashmiri chili powder (see notes)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Dice the onion and add it to the preheated cooking oil in a large shallow frying pan with a lid (see notes).
  2. Once the onion is medium brown, add the garlic paste and grated ginger.
  3. After about 30 seconds, add the diced tomatoes and cook them until they soften, adding the cumin seeds (add the carom seeds if you're using them) at that point.
  4. Then add ½ cup of water, cover your pan, and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
  5. After 10 minutes, uncover the pan, add the masala fry spice mix, and turn the stove on high. Saute continuously at this point, mashing the tomatoes and onions as you fry the masala (see notes).
  6. Once you have a cohesive mixture and the oil separates and floats to the top, add in the serrano chilies and saute for 30 seconds.
  7. Add the remaining ½ cup of water, stir, and add the Tilapia filets in an even layer, sprinkle with the curry leaves, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, till the fish turns white.
  8. Gently flip each filet over, cover, and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
  9. For perfect results, use a Thermapen to check the internal temperature of the fish. The perfect reading is 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Notes

  • Tilapia -  Tilapia is perfect for this curry because of its mild flavor, its affordable price, and easy availability.  Grouper, Mahi Mahi, and red snapper make good alternatives. 
  • Garlic & Ginger Paste - I like to make my pastes using fresh produce, but store-bought ones are ok to use.
  • Carom seeds - Known as Ajwain, with a texture and taste like a combination of cumin, celery, and oregano, carom seeds are a great addition to any seafood-based recipe if you can source them.
  • Serrano Chilies - These can be added whole, slit in the middle, or cut up, depending on how spicy you want your curry.
  • Salt -  I use less salt than most, so feel free to adjust the amount as necessary. 
  • The chili powders - Red chili powder is spicy, so I always blend it with the milder Kashmiri chili powder to give my curry the perfect color. If you like your curry very mild, reverse the ratio and do ½ a teaspoon of the red chili powder and one teaspoon of the Kashmiri chili powder.
  • Use a large shallow pan - I cook my curry using a 14" Scanpan as the Tilapia fillets must be in a single layer to cook evenly and not break when you flip them. 
  • Masala fry - Masala refers to a spice blend made of dry or dry and wet ingredients that make the base of a curry. This particular recipe refers to the latter, where the onions, tomatoes, dry spices, and other ingredients are fried, and then the fish is added. 

Nutrition Information

Serving 1person Calories 381kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 7g (2%) Protein 47g (94%) Fat 19g (29%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 113mg (38%) Sodium 719mg (30%) Potassium 891mg (25%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 811IU (16%) Vitamin C 60mg (67%) Calcium 69mg (7%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 381

% Daily Value*

Serving 1person
Calories 381kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Protein 47g 94%
Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 113mg 38%
Sodium 719mg 30%
Potassium 891mg 19%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 811IU 16%
Vitamin C 60mg 67%
Calcium 69mg 7%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.