30-minute Instant Pot recipe for Coconut Fish Curry, with tender fish and bell peppers cooked in a coconut milk sauce seasoned with warm Indian spices.
Prep: Cut fish in 2-inch pieces. Slice onions and bell peppers. Finely grate or grind ginger and garlic.
Instant Pot Method
Select Sauté. Wait 30 seconds and add oil and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add curry leaves, ginger and garlic paste, and sauté for 30 seconds. Add sliced onions and bell peppers. Sauté for a minute.
Add all the spices, stir well and sauté for 30 seconds. Add coconut milk and mix well. Bring it to a simmer then cancel saute.
Add fish pieces, a few cilantro sprigs and stir well. Optionally, you can add a few mint leaves on top, this gives the coconut curry a very subtle and sweet minty aroma.
Lock the lid in place. Select pressure cook or manual and adjust to LOW pressure. Cook for 2 minutes.
Quickly release the pressure (QR) by following your cooker's instructions. Finish the curry with a light squeeze of lime and serve with brown or white basmati rice, or coconut rice.
Stove top recipe
Heat a saucepan on medium-high heat, and add oil and mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for 30 seconds, add sliced onions and bell peppers. Sauté for a minute.
Add all spices, stir well and sauté for 30 seconds. Add coconut milk and mix well. Now add the fish pieces, a few cilantro sprigs, and stir well. Optionally, add a few mint leaves on top.
Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the fish is cooked completely. Finish the dish with a light squeeze of lime and serve.
Video
Notes
Choose your Fish: You can make this dish with your favorite kind of white flesh fish. Other varieties that go well in this recipe include Tilapia, Halibut, Sole, Cod, and Salmon. Cut the fish into 2-inch pieces.
Use Low pressure: Fish is a delicate food that can overcook very easily. Cooking at Low pressure ensures the fish stays flaky and tender after cooking.
Adjust the Cook-time: If the fish pieces are thicker than 1-inch, adjust the pressure cooking time to 3 minutes at low pressure.
For reducing calories: use low-fat coconut milk to save a few calories.
Curry Leaves: If you cannot find those, substitute with a teaspoon of lime zest or Thai basil.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.