A Sri Lankan fish curry made with fresh thalapath fish(sailfish)cooked in Lankan spices and condiments pounded in a mortar and pestle for maximum flavour.

The Sri Lankan red chilli fish curry(Thalapath malu mirisata)that I’ve given here is authentic and gives you the true flavours of the coastal cities.

The best spicy fish curry you can make if you love seafood.

This fish curry is cooked without coconut milk so you’ll feel the heat from this seafood dish.

Ask any Sri Lankan and they’ll tell you, they won’t have it any other way because it’s a taste of home.

Warning!

This spicy Sri Lankan fish curry(thalapath malu mirisata)curry packs a whole lot of heat and there is not a single drop of coconut milk to bring it down.

Your first indication of the spiciness of the dish would be the colour of the gravy which takes on a dark, deep red hue.

That’s how much chilli powder we use in the dish.

Yet, it’s one of the popular and favourite ways of cooking fish.

All the flavours of an island surrounded by sea, cooked in a clay pot in a typical Sri Lankan manner. 

And if you enjoy spicy food that hits the so-called spot, makes tiny beads of sweat pop up on your forehead while making your ears and the back of your neck go warm,

Then, my friend, this is THE authentic Sri Lankan fish curry to serve.

Type of fish to cook the red chilli fish curry.

Any fish that has a firmness to it would do, I’m using chunks of Thalapath(sailfish) for the reasons mentioned below,

• convenience.

• It’s firm enough to cook for a long time and not fall apart.

• I don’t need to worry about the bones since I mostly feed teens and kids.

• I can cook without the skin(there’s one particular child of mine who hates the skin of the fish).

• It tastes great and cooks well with the ingredients used in this recipe. 

What in the world is Goraka?

It’s also known as Brindleberry, Indian tamarind and in Sinhalese, “goraka”.

The key taste it brings to the dish is a subtle sourness.

Unlike Tamarind which gives off the same taste but is sourer and better suited for chicken and Beef.

Goraka works well in tasting seafood curries like this spicy red chilli fish curry(malu mirisata).

Is there a substitute for goraka?

You can use Tamarind if you can’t find goraka but use it sparingly.

Maybe 3-4 pods of tamarind pulp(if using paste 1 teaspoon should do) to the quantity of fish mentioned here.

How to add tamarind as a substitute for goraka.

If using tamarind paste, add it the same way as goraka to make the spice paste.

If using Tamarind with the seed then simply soak the pods with 1/4 cup water for 10 minutes, and squeeze the seeds out.

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Can I add coconut milk to reduce the heat?

Hmm, if you really want to stick to the original recipe, coconut milk won’t do but if there are family members who prefer non-spicy food then yes but I still can’t guarantee it won’t be spicy.

Instead, try making the thalapath(sail fish) coconut milk fish curry given below on “more fish recipes”.

It’s a creamy non-spicy fish curry even kids love.

Utensils and appliances needed.

• chopping board and knife
• Spice blender attachment to be used to grind the spice paste for convenience or mortar and pestle.
• Medium-sized clay pot or pan to cook the fish curry.

More fish curry

Thalapath coconut milk fish curry.

Canned fish curry Sri Lankan style.

Sri Lankan ambulthiyal(sour fish)curry.

Sri Lankan pepper fish(canned fish)curry.

Storing

Use glass containers with a lid or old plastic containers to refrigerate as the spice paste might stain new containers. use within 2 days if refrigerated.

Freezing

I would advise not to freeze the fish curry. 

Heating

The fish curry can be heated over a stovetop over low-medium heat. avoid using the microwave as your microwave will retain the fish curry smell.

Stop food waste, by

Cook, only as much as you need. you can refrigerate and use the fish within a few days.

RECIPE DIFFICULTY- LITTLE CARE NEEDED

Ingredients to cook the spicy fish curry

Ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.

4 goraka pieces(substitute with tamarind and how to do it is given above)

500g of fresh Thalapath(sailfish)but any firm fish with or without skin would do.

4 cloves of Garlic

5 shallots(can substitute with regular onions)

2-inch ginger piece 

A handful of curry leaves(used for both spice paste and curry)

2 medium-sized green chilli whole

2-3 inch pandan leaf

1-inch cinnamon piece

4-6 peppercorns

2 tablespoons of chilli powder(1/2 teaspoon more if you can handle it)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 and 1/2 cups of water

cooking the spicy fish curry(malu mirisata).

Please make sure to read the recipe instructions carefully to avoid mistakes.

In 1/4 cup of water soak the goraka pieces(4, substitute with tamarind and how to do it is given above)for 10 minutes.

Do not throw the water when done).

Wash the firm chunks of sailfish (thalapath 500g) thoroughly in water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Twice would be sufficient.

Squeeze excess water from goraka.

Place it in a mortar(can use your spice blender attachment as well)with garlic(4 cloves), ginger(2-inch piece), some curry leaves(5), shallots(5), cinnamon(1″), chili powder(2 tbs), turmeric(1/2 tsp), peppercorns(4-6), salt to season.

Pound all ingredients until you have a coarse paste.

Place the chunks of fish in a medium-sized cooking pan, and rub the spice paste over the fish chunks thoroughly.

Add 1 tablespoon of water to the mortar and collect all the remaining spices in it and pour this into the marinating fish as well. 

Marinate the fish for 10 minutes.

Once the fish is marinated, place the pan over medium heat.

Add the extra pandan leaf, leftover curry leaves and green chilli(2) to the pan followed by the water used to soak the goraka, and cook for five minutes. 

Add water(this can be 1 cup to 1 and 1/2 cups depending on how much of a thin gravy you want).

Cover with a lid and let the curry simmer over low-medium heat until fish is cooked thoroughly.

Try not to stir the gravy with a spoon if you feel the fish needs to be covered with the gravy.

Hold the pan on both sides with heat pads and slowly tilt and swirl the pan so the gravy moves over the fish, season with Salt if necessary.

Cook for 30-40 minutes until gravy reduces and slightly thickens.

The gravy would not be thick or creamy as when you cook with coconut milk but turns to a deeper colour than it was, to begin with.

Serve warm with your favourite rice and curry dishes. 

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