This easy coconut fish curry is a go-to weeknight recipe for us - fast to cook with little prep, and simple to make. This family-friendly curry is made with a mild curry powder, so even my fussy children eat it!
Coconut Fish Curry Recipe
Packed with vegetables - mushroom, onion and capsicum - and then simmered in a tasty coconut milk sauce, this curry is hearty, warming and healthy, everything you want for a mid-week meal - ready in under 30 minutes.
The curry works well with other seafood like prawns and scallops, or even chicken or tofu if you're not a fan of seafood!
I'm fairly sure this is a Tasmanian family classic - normally known as "Flathead coconut curry" - as I know a number of families who eat a variation of this dish.
Coconut fish curry with mushroom and capsicum ingredients
Check out the recipe card further down the post for comprehensive ingredients and quantities.
- Plain flour - the fish is rolled in plain flour and then dusted. This helps to thicken the curry sauce. If you're not eating gluten, you can leave the flour out altogether or replace with a corn flour slurry - see the recipe card notes for details.
- Firm white fish fillets - check out the fish varieties section for advice on what type of fish to use, or talk to your fishmonger.
- Olive oil
- Onion, capsicum/peppers and mushrooms.
- Curry powder - use an English-style curry powder. These are generally sold as "curry powder" in western supermarkets. See curry powder varieties for advice. English-style curry powder is generally not hot, and is spiced with turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, and chilli powder.
- Coconut milk - the base for the curry sauce.
To serve:
- Cooked rice - I suggest basmati or jasmine. If you're watching your carbs, you can use a veggie rice like cauliflower or broccoli rice.
- Finely sliced coriander/cilantro leaves
- Papadams - optional, but I love to scoop the curry into the papadams.
How to make coconut fish curry with mushroom and capsicum
Check out the recipe card further down the post for comprehensive instructions.
- Prepare the vegetables - cut into bite sized pieces.
- Cut the fish into bite sized pieces and dust with flour.
- Cook the vegetables in some oil.
- Add the curry powder and coconut milk.
- Add the fish.
- Cook until fish is cooked through and the curry has thickened.
Tips
- Dusting the fish in flour causes the sauce to thicken while it cooks - make sure you shake excess off though to prevent the sauce from becoming too thick.
- You can add the fish to a snap-lock bag with the flour, seal the bag and then shake it to cover the fish with flour.
- There are instructions in the recipe card for making this recipe gluten free if needed.
- Use firm fish - soft fish will fall apart in the sauce.
- Balance the curry powder - all brands are different, so start light and adjust to taste if you're not sure.
- Use quality, full-fat coconut milk. It makes a difference.
What to serve with coconut fish curry
I like to serve this curry with rice and topped with coriander/cilantro. Papadams always go well with curries - even though this isn't an Indian curry.
You could make it a more substantial meal with:
- Bombay potatoes
- Bhaji
- Tomato & onion salad
Fish varieties
Use a firm, white fillet fish for this curry. Your fishmonger can advise you what will work best - just tell them you're after a firm fish for a curry.
Here are some common varieties:
Australia
- Ling
- Flathead
- Snapper
- Barramundi
- Gurnard
US
- Halibut
- Cod
- Haddock
UK
- Cod
- Haddock
- Pollock
Curry powder
While Indian cuisine traditionally uses individual spices or regional blends like garam masala, sambar powder, or panch phoron, “curry powder” as known in the West is very much a colonial British take on what curry should taste like. It typically features turmeric (which gives it a bright yellow colour), along with other spices such as coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and mild chilli powder. The result is an earthy, aromatic, and mildly spicy blend that’s far more uniform than the diverse spice mixes used in Indian curries. Unlike garam masala, which is warm, sweet, and aromatic, English-style curry powder leans earthy and mild with a strong turmeric base.
Curry powder became standard in the Anglosphere, especially for dishes like curried sausages, coronation chicken, and chip-shop curry sauce.
The following brands are widely available:
Australia
- Keens
- Clive of India
UK
- Schwartz
- Colman's
US
- McCormick
- Spice Islands
Make ahead, reheating and freezing coconut fish curry with mushroom and capsicum
Fish spoils quickly, so don't make this more than a day in advance. Reheat it gently in a sauce pan or skillet, or in the microwave at a low power setting (i.e. 360w).
You can freeze leftover rice and curry. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat according to the instructions above.
Add your own touch
- Use your favourite spice blend, or make up your own.
- Replace the fish with chicken if you don't eat fish, or tofu if you're vegetarian. Works well with other seafood too, like scallops and prawns.
- Change the vegetables up, for example, use zucchini, carrot and sweet potato.
Coconut Fish Curry with Mushroom and Capsicum
| Prep | Cook | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mins | 20 mins | 30 mins |
- 1/2 cup plain flour see note 1 for gluten free alternatives
- 600g (1.3 lb) firm white fish fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces preferably skin off - see note 2
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 red capsicum/bell peppers, diced
- 1 green capsicum/bell peppers, diced
- 200g (7 oz) mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tbsp curry powder English-style curry powder, see note 3
- 800ml (27 fl oz) coconut milk
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Cooked white rice
- Coriander/cilantro, finely sliced optional
- Papadams optional
- Prepare fish - cut the fish into bite-sized pieces. Roll in flour, shake off the excess, and set aside on a clean plate.
- Cook vegetables - heat a skillet or wok over medium high heat and add the oil, onion, capsicum/peppers, and mushrooms to the skillet. Cook for around 7-10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms have softened.
- Add curry powder and stir to combine. Add the coconut milk and bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Add fish to the skillet. Cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fish is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve over cooked white rice, topped with a little coriander/cilantro and some papadams.
- Flour - rolling the fish in flour will thicken the curry as it cooks. You can skip this if you're avoiding gluten, or are happy with a thinner curry sauce. For a gluten free option, combine 2 tbsp corn flour/starch with 2 tbsp water and stir to combine and add it to the sauce after adding the coconut milk.
- Fish - use mild and firm white fish fillets for this recipe. Where possible, ask your fishmonger to remove bones and the skin or purchase a boneless/skinless variety. I use flathead, a popular variety in Australia which pairs well with this dish. If you're not sure which variety to use, ask your fishmonger for a firm fish suitable for a curry. Some suggestions - Australia: Ling, Flathead, Snapper, Barramundi, Gurnard. US: Halibut, Cod, Haddock. UK: Cod, Haddock, Pollock. Avoid overly oily fish, or soft fish which will fall apart.
- Curry powder - use an English-style curry powder. They're usually not overly spicy and feature turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, and chilli powder. Australia: Keens, Clive of India. UK: Schwartz, Bart, Colman's and supermarket house brands. USA: McCormick, Spice Islands. Different curry powders have different strengths, I suggest adding slowly to taste.
- Fish substitutes - works equally well with prawns and/or scallops. You can also replace the fish for chicken breast or tofu if you're vegetarian.
