Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Fish Molee
A gentle, fragrant Kerala-style fish stew simmered in a light coconut milk broth with mild spices and tomatoes.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- firm white fish (Kingfish or Seer fish)
- thin coconut milk
- thick coconut milk
- onions
- tomatoes
- green chilies
- ginger
- curry leaves
- turmeric
- black pepper
- coconut oil
Equipment
- Wide, shallow frying pan or clay pot (Meen Chatti)
Instructions
- 1
Marinate Fish
Marinate fish slices with a pinch of turmeric, black pepper, and salt. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- 2
Lightly Fry Fish
Heat a little coconut oil in a wide pan. Very lightly shallow fry the fish pieces for just 1 minute per side (do not cook fully, just seal the outside). Set aside.
- 3
Temper Oil
In the same pan, add a little more coconut oil. Add a small piece of cinnamon and a few cloves.
- 4
Sauté Aromatics
Add sliced onions, lots of ginger juliennes, slit green chilies, and fresh curry leaves. Sauté until onions are soft but NOT brown.
- 5
Add Spices
Add a pinch of turmeric and freshly ground black pepper. (Fish Molee is famously mild; do not use red chili powder).
- 6
Add Thin Coconut Milk
Pour in 1.5 cups of thin (second extract) coconut milk. Bring to a very gentle simmer.
- 7
Simmer the Fish
Carefully slide the partially fried fish pieces into the bubbling thin coconut milk.
- 8
Add Tomatoes
Place thick tomato slices on top of the fish. Cover the pan.
- 9
Cook the Stew
Simmer on low heat for 5-7 minutes until the fish is cooked through and opaque.
- 10
Add Thick Coconut Milk
Turn the heat to the absolute minimum. Pour in half a cup of thick (first extract) coconut milk or coconut cream.
- 11
Do Not Boil
Gently swirl the pan (do not stir with a spoon, you will break the fish). DO NOT let it boil after adding thick milk, or it will curdle.
- 12
Serve
Turn off the heat. Drizzle a teaspoon of raw coconut oil and a few fresh curry leaves on top. Serve hot with Appam or steamed rice.
Cooking Tips
- The onions must not brown at all. The beauty of Fish Molee lies in its pale yellow, delicate broth.
- Using two consistencies of coconut milk (thin for cooking, thick for finishing) is the traditional Kerala technique for a perfect stew.
Variations
- Vegetable Stew (Ishtu): The vegetarian equivalent, using potatoes, carrots, and peas instead of fish.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A classic Kerala Syrian Christian dish, noted for its lack of aggressive heat and reliance on ginger, black pepper, and coconut.
Nutrition Estimate
360 calories · 24g protein · 8g carbs · 26g fat · 2g fiber per serving
