Gordon Ramsay’s fish curry recipe is a southern Indian coconut curry with tamarind, mustard seeds, and chunks of white fish that cook in the sauce for just 3-4 minutes at the end so they stay flaky and do not fall apart. The whole thing comes from his Ultimate Fit Food book, uses reduced-fat coconut milk, and has aubergine (eggplant), carrots, and green beans built right into the sauce.
Ramsay adds the fish last, and I did not understand why until I put the cod in too early and it dissolved into the sauce. Now I set a timer and the fish goes in, making this the most time-sensitive of all my curry recipes with exactly 4 minutes left, no sooner.
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What Is the Best Fish To Put in a Curry?
Gordon uses meaty white fish: cod, pollock, haddock, or coley. These hold their shape in hot liquid without going mushy. I have tried salmon and it works but it changes the whole flavour, so I would not call it a swap, more like a different dish.
Stay away from delicate fish like sole or plaice. They break the moment you stir, and you end up with fish flakes in a curry sauce instead of proper chunks.
Fish Curry Ingredients
- 600g (1.3 lbs) meaty white fish (cod, pollock, haddock), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 0.5 tbsp flavourless oil (groundnut or vegetable)
- 2 onions, peeled and finely sliced
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 3cm (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1-2 long red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 400ml (1.75 cups) reduced-fat coconut milk
- 1-2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 400ml (1.75 cups) water
- 1 small aubergine (eggplant), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 carrots, chopped into rounds
- 200g (7 oz) green beans, halved
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Toasted desiccated coconut, to serve (optional)
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Fish Curry
- Soften the Onions: Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 minutes until completely soft.
- Toast the Spices: Add the mustard seeds, turmeric, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute until you can smell them. Stir in the ginger and chillies for another minute.
- Build the Sauce: Pour in the coconut milk, tamarind paste, and 400ml water. Season, stir well, and bring to a simmer.
- Cook the Vegetables: Add the aubergine (eggplant) and cook for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and simmer for 10-15 minutes until both are tender.
- Add the Beans and Fish: Add the green beans and cook 3 minutes. Then add the fish, stir gently to coat, and cook for 3-4 minutes until just done.
- Serve: Ladle into warm bowls over rice. Scatter toasted coconut on top if you like.
What Are Common Mistakes in Fish Curry?
The biggest one is adding the fish too early. Fish cooks fast, and if it sits in simmering liquid for 15 minutes it turns to mush. Ramsay adds it in the last 3-4 minutes for a reason. I learned this the hard way.
The other mistake is not cooking the onions long enough. Ten minutes feels like a lot for onions, but they need to go completely soft before the spices go in. Crunchy onion in a coconut fish curry is not pleasant.
Serving and Keeping
Gordon serves this southern Indian fish curry with coconut and ginger brown rice. Plain basmati works too. The tamarind gives the sauce a sweet-sour edge that pairs well with something plain underneath. I sometimes squeeze half a lime over the top right before eating.
Eat this the same day if you can. Fish curry does not reheat as well as chicken or beef. The fish goes rubbery overnight. If you must store it, keep the sauce and fish separate, and reheat the sauce first before gently warming the fish in it for 2 minutes.
FAQs
- Can I use salmon instead? You can, but it changes the dish. Salmon is oily and rich, so the coconut milk makes the whole thing quite heavy. If you go with salmon, skip the coconut and use a lighter broth. A Gordon Ramsay salmon curry would be a different recipe altogether.
- Is this a Thai green fish curry? No. This is southern Indian, not Thai. A Thai green fish curry uses green curry paste and basil. Ramsay has a separate Thai green curry recipe that works with fish if you want that style instead.
- What about Malaysian fish curry? Ramsay’s Malaysian curry uses chicken, but you could swap in firm fish like monkfish. Add it in the last 5 minutes instead of simmering for an hour.
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Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Total Fat: 12g
- Protein: 34g
- Total Carbohydrate: 18g
Gordon Ramsay Fish Curry Recipe
4
servings10
minutes30
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minutesGordon Ramsay’s fish curry recipe is a southern Indian coconut curry with tamarind, mustard seeds, and chunks of white fish that cook in the sauce for just 3-4 minutes at the end so they stay flaky and do not fall apart. The whole thing comes from his Ultimate Fit Food book, uses reduced-fat coconut milk, and has aubergine (eggplant), carrots, and green beans built right into the sauce.
Ramsay adds the fish last, and I did not understand why until I ignored that step. I put the cod in too early and it dissolved into the sauce. Now I set a timer and the fish goes in with exactly 4 minutes left, no sooner.
Ingredients
600g (1.3 lbs) white fish (cod, pollock, haddock), bite-sized pieces
0.5 tbsp flavourless oil
2 onions, finely sliced
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
3cm (1-inch) ginger, grated
1-2 red chillies, deseeded, chopped
400ml (1.75 cups) reduced-fat coconut milk
1-2 tbsp tamarind paste
400ml (1.75 cups) water
1 small aubergine (eggplant), bite-sized
2 carrots, chopped
200g (7 oz) green beans, halved
Salt and pepper
Toasted desiccated coconut (optional)
Directions
- Soften the Onions: Heat oil, cook onions with salt for 8-10 minutes until soft.
- Toast the Spices: Add mustard seeds, turmeric, cumin for 1 minute. Stir in ginger and chillies.
- Build the Sauce: Pour in coconut milk, tamarind, and water. Season, bring to simmer.
- Cook the Vegetables: Add aubergine 5 minutes, then carrots 10-15 minutes until tender.
- Add Beans and Fish: Add green beans 3 minutes, then fish 3-4 minutes until just cooked.
- Serve: Ladle over rice, scatter toasted coconut on top.
