Pomfret Curry

Name: Pomfret Curry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtra)
Ingredients: 2 large whole pomfret (800 g total), scaled, gutted, scored with 3 diagonal cuts each side; 2 tbsp coconut oil; 1 medium onion (100 g), finely chopped; 1 tsp ginger paste; 1 tsp garlic paste; 6 dried kokum petals, soaked in 80 ml warm water 20 min; 1 tsp salt; 150 ml water; 1 cup (90 g) fresh grated coconut; 5 Kashmiri red chillies, soaked 20 min; 3 Bedgi red chillies, soaked 20 min; 1.5 tsp coriander seeds, dry-roasted; ½ tsp cumin seeds; 4 black peppercorns; 2 cloves; 1 green cardamom; ½ tsp turmeric; Pomfret is delicate and breaks if handled roughly — never try to flip it in the pan; cook on one side and spoon gravy continuously over the top; The scored cuts help the masala penetrate to the bone — without scoring, only the outer surface gets flavoured; Fresh pomfret is only available on the coast; inland markets sell less fresh fish — the curry cannot compensate for poor quality fish

🍗 Non-veg🌾 Gluten-free📊 Medium

Whole silver pomfret (paplet) — Maharashtra's most prized fish — simmered in a classic Malvani-style coconut-kokum curry. The whole fish is presented in the gravy, its elegant silver skin barely visible under the vivid red coconut masala. The high king of Konkan dinner fish curries.

⏱️20 minPrep

🔥15 minCook

🕒35 minTotal

🍽️6Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Pomfret Curry

Grind Malvani masala (No heat): Blend soaked chillies with coconut and all remaining masala ingredients. Grind with minimum water into a very smooth, thick, bright red paste.
Fry base (Heat: medium): Heat coconut oil in a wide, flat-based pan large enough to hold 2 whole pomfret. Fry chopped onion on medium for 6–7 minutes until golden. Add ginger and garlic paste — fry 1 minute.
Build gravy (Heat: medium): Add strained kokum water, 150 ml water and salt. Stir. Bring to a gentle simmer. Taste — should be bright, mildly tangy and richly coconutty.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 345 kcal | 35 g | 8 g | 19 g | 2 g | Pomfret (paplet) is the most prestigious fish along the Konkan coast — served at weddings, engagement dinners and special celebrations. It commands the highest price at fish markets and is the centrepiece of a Konkan thali when available. Whole pomfret presented in a vivid red Malvani curry on a large platter is the Konkan coast's equivalent of a roast at a European table — the showpiece of celebration. ---

Track the macros of Pomfret Curry and 100s of Indian dishes with Nutri Macro India.