Monkfish curry or any fish curry is a must-make recipe for any fish and spice lover so if you are ready to spice up your dinner I introduce you to this South Indian - Srilankan Style Monkfish Curry! We're talking succulent monkfish fillets taking a delicious dip in a rich, creamy curry sauce that's packed with aromatic goodness, It is not just any fish curry recipe - it's one of the absolute best that you can whip up entirely from scratch in just 30 minutes. Yep, you read that right!
What's the secret? Well, it's as simple as raiding your kitchen for basic ingredients, grabbing some fresh herbs, and adding totally pantry-friendly spices. It's like a flavor explosion waiting to happen with minimal fuss. So, let's get cooking and savor every bite of this incredible curry creation! 🌶️🐟
I'm a huge fan of monkfish, yes it is not the cheapest I am not sure such a thing as cheap fish does exist. It is long gone now.
We love cooking fish, prawns, and squids, in flavourful curries! If you love a rich creamy coconut curry as much as we do, you might also love my Slow Cooker Beef Massaman Curry, Squid Curry, Curried Chicken And Green Beans Couscous or these Pineapple Curry, Roasted Curried Butternut Squash, Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry and this Easy Instant Pot Coconut Rice to pair it with. All soo good!
Jump to:
💭 What is monkfish?
Monkfish, oh, it's a real gem! It has an incredible texture that's both succulent and meaty, with a sweet flavor that's simply divine. It has earned itself the nickname 'Poor Man's Lobster' because it's like lobster's cool, budget-friendly cousin. A taste of luxury without breaking the bank.
Now, when it comes to cooking monkfish, there's one way that always gets me excited: bathing it in a luscious, creamy curry sauce. If you're tired of the same old pan-fried, steamed, or baked monkfish dishes, then you absolutely must give this curried monkfish a whirl! It's a flavor-packed adventure you won't want to miss. 🍽️🦞
🥘 Ingredients
All you will need for this fish curry recipe is a few ingredients but if you are a curry lover you'll have most of these ingredients in your pantry cupboard:
Here's what you need to make a super-delicious monkfish curry:
- fresh organic turmeric root
- monkfish fillets (cut into chunks) - ask the fishmonger to debone and deskin your fish
- onions (finely sliced) (red onions or shallots)
- curry leaves (I only recommend fresh curry leaves- dried curry leaves don't taste anything like the fresh ones, in fact, they taste like nothing so in general, I do not even bother adding these at all if I do not have the amazing fresh ones)
- fresh ginger (grated or finely chopped)
- Thai green chilies (finely sliced)
- garlic (grated or crushed and finely chopped)
- cardamom pods (bashed) - I did add cardamom here in this recipe but thought of that later hence this doesn't appear in the picture
- mixed seeds ( in equal amounts - black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds)
- fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped (tomato paste can also be used or tinned tomatoes if you would like a juicer curry
- tamarind paste (crucial for any fish curry)
- coconut milk use light coconut milk too
- fresh coriander (finely chopped)
- lime juice ( use some zest too if your limes are unwaxed)
- olive oil (optional) you may use a little ghee if you fancy. As a general rule, I do not use/add any oil at all when cooking with meat or fish.
- steamed basmati rice to serve
👩🏻🍳 How to make it
If you master the quick and easy art of making this curry sauce, you'll soon realize that you are a master of curry sauce and this special sauce can be used as a base for any seafood curry.
This is a Sri Lankan-South Indian style monkfish coconut curry recipe that I often make and it is delicious every time no matter what fish I am using for this recipe, you can use virtually any fish you like or happen to have in hand.
For the best results and a superb tasty monkfish curry recipe, it's best to add as many fresh ingredients as possible, especially ginger, garlic, and curry leaves. This is the key to success and to getting the most unique flavors in any curry. The ingredients I mentioned above are crucial and are not worth using powders or store-bought. Please forget about ready-bought garlic or ginger paste, these are never the same and most of them have additives.
Here are the most important steps:
Step 1
- Marinate the monkfish - this step is important to achieve a nice and flavor monkfish curry. The longer you marinate the fish the better.
Step 2
- Make the curry sauce by adding some ingredients ( chopped onions, seeds, cardamom, curry leaves, curry powder, garlic, ginger, chilies, salt, and pepper). Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until the onion has become translucid and softened.
Step 3
- Stir in the fresh tomatoes or the tomato paste/tinned tomatoes, tamarind paste, and coconut milk; season, then bring to a boil.
Step 4
- Add the monkfish together with the marinade to the curry sauce and simmer over low heat. Cook the monkfish curry until the fish is cooked through and becomes opaque. Do not stir after adding the fish, shake the pot or twist.
Step 5
- Serve over steamed basmati rice. Scatter some chopped coriander leaves. Bon appetit!
🍛 Monkfish curry variations
- Monkfish and prawn curry - the prawns can be added at the same time with the monkfish or a few minutes later - it is equally good and all right;
- make it a Thai-style curry - just add the coconut and the lemongrass and here you have it!
🍽 What to serve monkfish curry with
Serve it on white fluffy basmati rice, jasmine rice, red rice, brown rice, with naan bread or flatbread. Why not cut some of the carbs and have it with broccoli or cauliflower rice? It works well served with couscous too.
I also make a nice dhal or dal (lentil curry) to go with it. Simply divine! A nice tomato salad (with or without the feta) or some pickles like my pickled garlic.
🌡️Top tips
- Please do not overcook the fish as this can be easily done. The best way to avoid this is by making/cooking the curry sauce or the gravy first and then adding the fish.
- You may pat dry the fish with a paper towel or clean cloth to remove excess moisture.
- Be gentle when stirring as the fish could break apart.
- Use only fresh curry leaves for the best flavor.
📦 Storage
Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Add a dash of water or stock when reheating on the stove or microwave. You may also freeze it, see below in the FAQs.
❓Recipe FAQs
Any white firm-fleshed fish makes a great alternative and is ideal in this fish curry. Here are a few examples:
• tilapia
• snapper
• barramundi
• cod (all types)
• mahi-mahi
• turbot
• halibut
• basa
• hake
• ling
• sole
• pollock
A curry like this is an excellent way to disguise any fish flavor shortfalls so it is a great option for any "fishy" fish, freshwater fish, or a great dish to make for any economical fish use.
Salmon and mackerel (Spanish mackerel and the king mackerel) as bluefish options are also great alternatives for this nice dish. Salmon will have to be cut into bigger chunks.
Yes, absolutely! The more it stays, the better it will taste, but when reheating, keep a close eye on it to avoid overcooking the fish.
The answer is yes. If you wish to make this or any fish curry recipe, you may freeze it in bags or an airtight container.
Monkfish is known as poor man's lobster. Its meat is white and tight, and it is often compared to lobster meat. It's not only similar to lobster in texture and flavor. It has a mild, sweet flavor and it is not fishy.
🦑 Other fish or seafood recipes you may enjoy :
- Creamy fish soup (chowder)
- Easy Fish Pie Recipe
- Open fish pie with a coconut milk twist
- Organic veg & fish soup
- Delicious Baked Cod Recipe
- Simple sardine fillets and polenta with Parmesan cheese and garlic sauce
- Salmon Wellington
♨️ More curry recipes that you must try:
- Delicious and super healthy Lamb Curry
- Duck Thai curry with fresh coconut and lemongrass-infused rice
- Vegetarian Thai curry on egg-fried rice
- Ox tongue curry
- Squid curry with turmeric rice
- Quick vegan curry - by A Couple Cooks
- Vegetarian Thai curry on egg-fried rice
Please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating in the recipe card below and a review in the comment section further down the page if you have made this recipe and liked it. Thank you so much for stopping by!
🍛 Delicious Monkfish Curry
Equipment
- large pan
- glass bowl
- chopping board
- knife
- grater
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 800 g monkfish (28.22 oz or 1.76 lb) deboned and skinned *
- 400 ml coconut milk ( 13.5 fl oz) I used light coconut milk - 1 can (tin)
- 1 large onion roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder or fresh root finely grated
- 2 pieces tamarind dried garcinia Cambogia aka Malabar tamarind or brindle berry *
- 2 cloves garlic extra large
- 1 tablespoon ginger freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon curry powder or more if you like it extra hot
- 15-20 leaves fresh curry leaves amazing flavour enhancer
- 1 small bunch fresh coriander Washed and chopped
- 1 small lemon or lime juice and rind
- 1 teaspoon mixed seeds * see notes for details
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 small chillies optional ( for extra heat)
- 2 pods cardamom crushed (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or coconut oil) optional
- 6 med fresh tomatoes or 2 tablespoon tomato paste
Instructions
- Into a glass bowl, place the monkfish and marinate with turmeric, some lime zest and lime juice, salt, pepper, ½ of the curry powder and 1 clove or two of garlic grated or made into a paste. Mix well to coat the fish and place in the fridge for 20 min to 2 hours to marinate. The longer the better.
- Add the olive or coconut oil to a larger pan over medium-high heat and add the chopped onions, the seeds, cardamom, curry leaves, remaining ½ tablespoon of curry powder, the remaining garlic, ginger, chillies, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes until the onion has softened and slightly coloured. I add some water as I do not like to fry it. I like the frying but just doesn't agree with us so I avoid it. It is healthier too.
- Stir in the roughly chopped tomatoes, tamarind paste and coconut milk; season, then bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat for approximately 10-15 minutes, uncovered stirring occasionally.
- Add the marinated monkfish to the curry sauce and simmer over low heat for 6-8 minutes (depending on how chunky your fish is). Cook until the fish is cooked through and becomes opaque.
- Remove the cardamom pods. Taste and season to perfection.
- Serve on steamed basmati or jasmine rice. Scatter some chopped coriander leaves.
Notes
- mixed seeds - my regular mix for any curry is:
- fenugreek, cumin and black mustard seeds;
- tomatoes - if you do not have fresh tomatoes (which I prefer) use tinned chopped Italian tomatoes or tomato paste if you want your curry less juicy;
- Tamarind - tamarind paste can also be used
gary says
Very good
Ramona says
Thank you so much Gary 🙏 🙏
Jack says
OMG this recipe is incredible too - I have made it for the first time yesterday and WOW. Its definitely going to be a regular here now and will try different fish too. I have also made your incredible lentil bread and that was sooooooo good! I really love your cooking style and dishes. Keep coming up with more recipes Ramona!! Thanks a bucks 🙌👏🏻
Ramona says
Thank you soo very much dear Jack! Nothing like homemade and home cooked food, is it? A good recipe helps too! 😉 Cheers🥂 to many more recipes you will be trying from my collection. Your comment is very much appreciated 🙏 Thank you once again.💞
Terry Mcgonagle says
Hi ramona made this curry so many times now thank you for this beautiful curry tried it tonight with chicken was amazing my favourite curry ever ❤️
Ramona says
Hey Terry,
Thank you so much!! You have made my day with your kind comment and I am soo happy you also liked my recipe!!🙏💞🙏
Simon says
Would you confirm which type of cardamom pod should be used, please. The green variety or the black, variety.
Thank you.
Ramona says
Hi Simon, thank you so much for stopping by. I used green cardamom.
I would really love to hear how you liked the recipe thank you so much once again.
Ramona 🙏💞
Jill Moore says
Hi, how much tamarind do you recommend to use? I have a block of it and I’ve no idea how much to use?
Also to make it into a Thai curry, I think I read to add more coconut milk and lemongrass? Would this be correct and how much should I add?
Thanks so much!
Jill
Ramona says
Hi Jill,
Thank you so much for getting in touch. I’m not sure what a block of tamarind is but I would say a tablespoon of paste diluted in water. It also depends on the quantities of curry you’re making.
And yes, absolutely if you want it Thai style add some coconut milk some lime leaves if you have and fresh lemongrass if possible, it’s the best.
Good luck with making it all and let me know how it all came out but I’m drooling over here. This curry is amazing!! Happy Easter to you! 😘🤗🙏
Annabel says
This curry is a gem. I absolutely loved it and will make often from now on. I am so happy I found your recipe Ramona xx
Ramona says
Thank you soo much!
Beth says
This is a beautiful curry. I will definitely be doing this again and will try it using different fish. I think Tusk might work very well.
Ramona says
Thank you dear Beth, I am thrilled you liked my monkfish curry. Any firm-fleshed fish will work well in this recipe. Tusk fish is perfect flavor and texture wise 👍👌.
Lenore says
The recipe looks delicious and I wanted to make it but the 'curry powder' is confusing. There are many preblended powders, each with very different flavors. Can you be more specific please? Also, I prefer to make my own spice mixes, that said, what spices would make up the curry powder in this recipe? Thank you!
Ramona says
Hi Lenore
Curry powder is a mix that I normally purchase and it is readily mixed. You may use any spices you wish and chili powder separately according to your liking. I hope this helps.
Jamie says
Oh my, this looks like an amazingly delicious dish! My kind of curry recipe! Plus the coconut will boost the taste and flavor of this awesome curry recipe! Loved it!
Amy Liu Dong says
This fish curry looks really good and tasty. I am so excited to make this for tonight's dinner. Yum!
Moop Brown says
This curry looks very tasty and like it is bursting with flavor and the fact that it only takes 30 minutes to make is very impressive.
Erin says
Ooh, I'm absolutely intrigued! I had never even heard of monkfish. 🙈 I'm going to look for it tomorrow and make this!
Carrie Robinson says
I absolutely love homemade curry dishes, but I have never had curry with monkfish before. I will have to try this soon! 🙂 Looks delicious.
Zhen says
Lovely recipe! You mentioned that tamarind paste can be used- what quantities should I use for substituting? In addition, does the recipe work with salmon instead of monkfish?
Ramona says
Hi Zhen,
Apologies for the delayed reply. ! teaspoon for these quantities will be plenty dependo=ing on the consistency - if runny use a tablespoon. Salmon will work beautifully but once you add the salmon (skin on) refrain from stirring the curry but only very gently as the salmon will disintegrate otherwise. Good luck with it and please do let me know how you liked the recipe.
Katie Crenshaw says
Wow! This had so much flavors. The spices really went well with the monkfish. This made a fantastic comfort meal.
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
My neighbors are huge curry fans so I made this for dinner the other night. It had such incredible depth of flavor and the creaminess of the coconut milk was exceptional!
veenaazmanov says
This is definitely a flavorful curry. Coconut milk is delicious. This is surely my comfort meal.
Ramona says
Thank you !
Mikayla says
Well, we loved this so much the first time we had it, we had to make it again. Truly had great meaty texture with a touch of spicy flavor. You can't go wrong with this recipe.
Ramona says
thank you soo much dear Mikayla! I totally agree!
Maggie says
I'm reading others comment on the flavor of curry which I love. My question, though, is about the flavor of monkfish. I've never had it. Is monkfish similar to cod?
Sharon says
The combination of spices, creamy coconut milk, and tender fish make this the ultimate dinner idea for curry lovers.
alyssa+austin says
Wonderful recipe! Love all the spices and flavors that go into it! We used tomato paste and that worked great. We didn’t have enough monkfish so we supplemented with some shrimp and it still turned out absolutely amazing and aromatic.
Ramona says
Thanks so much guys! I am so happy you loved my monkfish curry recipe - the shrimp improvisation is a great idea! I often add squid or prawns/shrimp too. Soo good!
terry says
Absolutely DELICIOUS, Thank you.
Ramona says
Thank you so much Terry and you’re most welcome too!! Thanks for your kind feedback I really appreciate it. 😊💕
Timea Breban says
Dear Ramona
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe. This curry became our number one favourite. I am so happy I found your recipe!
Ramona says
Thank you so so much dear Timea! It is one of our favorites too. I am so glad you have found my recipe and love it!
Rachel says
This monkfish curry looks absolutely incredible so I said let me embark the unknown. I’m pretty useless when it comes to complicated looking dishes like this.
I have to say, I have made the list for all ingredients that I needed and I gave it a go.
Oh my goodness! My boyfriend was so, so impressed I was pretty sure he’s going to propose after this LOL now that I can cook. 😅🙌
I’m not kidding Ramona, your recipe is amazing and very easy to follow.
Thank you so much for this superb recipe.
Now that I’ve made my debut into the cooking I’ll carry on as I’m enjoying it. This has really given me a lot of confidence now.
Thank you again 🙏🙏
Rachel xx
Ramona says
Aww, thank you so much dear Rachel, your comment and feedback have made my day, my week, and my month, I am sure. I am thrilled, thank you soo much!xx
Ramona F says
oh yess, this curry was soo goooood!
Sarah says
Hi Ramona, I’m really looking forward to trying out this dish! Can you tell me how much tamarind paste to use please?
Thanks!
Ramona says
Hi Sarah,
Thank you so much for stopping by and for willing to try my monkfish curry recipe - if you do not have the dried tamarind and you are using tamarind paste, I would say a teaspoon is sufficient. Please do let me know how you liked it!
Morgan says
It's a shame you don't have a donate button! I'd definitely donate to this outstanding blog!
Loads of lovely recipes that I will try.
So far I have made this monkfish curry and the Sri Lankan appam recipe and I am way impressed. My girlfriend is going to propose to me since I became such a good cook. Thank you so much for these recipes, nice and clear too since even I could follow with ease. Lol. Brilliant. Keep up the good work.
Ramona says
Aww, thank you so much Morgan! I am thrilled you like my recipes, not to mention that you may even be asked to marry your GF. Good luck! 😉
Heidy says
This was an excellent recipe for Monkfish Curry that our entire family enjoyed. I will be making this again soon. Happy Holidays!
We are looking forward to seeing your following delicious recipe!
Heidy
Amy Casey says
This curry was delicious! I used cod to make it for our dinner tonight. I added extra spice for use!
Chandice Probst says
This really is a delicious Monkfish curry! I love how hard it is and how there’s plenty of protein thanks to the fish. Thank you so much for this recipe it was easy and delicious!
Mikayla says
Tested and approved. This truly did take less than 30 minutes form start to serve and was quite tasty.
Healing Tomato says
I have never heard of monkfish curry and that makes me sad, lol! What a beautiful curry recipes. Those colors are so striking and the recipe is making me feel so comforted. Bet it tastes really really good too.
Tina says
I love a good curry! This one looks so good. I'll have to try this for dinner one day this week. Thank you for sharing.
Dana says
I love all the flavors in this curry! It's a beautiful dish with delicious flavors!
Alex says
I can never find monkfish so I'm glad that you gave some alternatives! I just need some cardamom and then I can give this a go.
Kate says
Hello, I have never seen monkfish in my local grocery store either, but this curry recipe looks really good and I would love to try it! I see that you did list many alternatives to use instead of the monkfish, so my question is, if you had to pick one of those alternatives, which one would be the best substitute that would approximate the taste and texture the closest to monkfish? Thank you in advance!
Ramona says
Hi Kate,
Thank you so much for stopping by.
Monkfish has a unique flavor and texture, but you can substitute it with snapper, sea bass, halibut, mahi-mahi or sea scallops.
Erin says
This sounds so tasty! I've never tried monkfish but I clearly need to give it a try.
Linda says
I must say this recipe is a handful but I don't mind getting my hands dirty because it's so flavorful. Love every bite and every sip of this curry!
Ramona says
Ha ha, thanks Linda!
Liz says
I've never tried this before, but I am a fish and spicy lover!
Jessica says
These flavors are really calling out to me - I can almost smell it reading your description. I've not seen monkfish where I live so I will have to sub the fish, unfortunately. I'm thinking salmon because I already have some. Fingers crossed I do this dish justice.
Moop Brown says
I'm a big curry fan and this recipe for it looks super tasty and has my mouth watering!
Nat says
This recipe is definitely a must-try. Looks amazing and the flavors are so good. Perfect comfort food for long and cold winter days.
Chandice says
This is definitely the best way to use Monkfish! Such a flavorful dish that doesn’t overwhelm the fish. That’s hard to find and I’m so glad I found this recipe!
Matt says
The only seafood curry I’ve had is with shrimp. Gonna have to try monkfish next!
Loreto and Nicoletta says
I always get that mouth watering feeling when. I hear about curry dishes. That monkfish is a perfect choice to look rep this dish luxurious and scrumptious. Love that you used fresh curry leaves. I really have to get my hands on some!😋👌Thanks for sharing such a heart warming dish!❤️👍
Megan Ellam says
Oh this looks absolutely perfect! I love a great curry! Thanks for sharing.
Michele says
This was my first time trying monkfish. I was a little nervous about making it. However, it tasted amazing and was much easier to make than I expected. The flavors were amazing! Thanks so much for a great recipe.
Allyssa says
This is really easy to make and tasted super delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing monkfish curry recipe! Will surely have this again, highly recommended!
veenaazmanov says
This is definitely my comfort meal.Fish is my family favorite too. Looks spicy and tempting.