Surmai Curry

Name: Surmai Curry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtra)
Ingredients: 600 g surmai (kingfish) steaks, 3 cm thick; 2 tbsp coconut oil; 1 medium onion (100 g), finely chopped; 2 medium tomatoes (180 g), finely chopped; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; ½ tsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp red chilli powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 4 dried kokum petals (aamsul), soaked in 50 ml warm water; 1 tsp salt; 150 ml water; ¾ cup (65 g) fresh grated coconut; 4 dry Kashmiri red chillies, soaked 15 min; 2 dry Bedgi chillies, soaked 15 min; 1 tsp coriander seeds; ½ tsp cumin seeds; 3 black peppercorns; 2 cloves; Surmai is the most prized fish for Maharashtrian curry — its firm flesh does not disintegrate like softer fish; Turning fish only once during cooking prevents it from breaking; Kokum must be soaked and strained — never add kokum pieces directly to the curry as they impart bitterness

🍗 Non-veg🌾 Gluten-free📊 Medium

Thick kingfish (surmai) steaks simmered in a robust onion-tomato-coconut masala — one of Maharashtra's finest seafood preparations. The firm, meaty surmai holds up beautifully in the curry and absorbs the complex spicing without falling apart.

⏱️20 minPrep

🔥30 minCook

🕒50 minTotal

🍽️6Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Surmai Curry

Make coconut masala (No heat): Blend soaked chillies with coconut and remaining masala spices into a smooth paste. Set aside.
Fry aromatics (Heat: medium): Heat coconut oil. Fry onion for 6–7 minutes until golden. Add ginger-garlic paste — fry 2 minutes. Add tomatoes — cook 6 minutes until softened and oil separates. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder — stir 30 seconds.
Add masala (Heat: medium): Add coconut masala paste — fry 5–6 minutes, stirring, until paste darkens and oil separates at edges.
Build gravy (Heat: medium): Add strained kokum water, 150 ml water and salt. Bring to a simmer. Taste — should be bright, tangy, coconutty and fragrant.
Add fish (Heat: medium-low): Slide fish steaks into the simmering gravy. Cook on medium-low for 10–12 minutes, turning very gently once at 6 minutes. Fish is done when opaque throughout and flakes slightly at the thickest edge.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 320 kcal | 33 g | 8 g | 17 g | 2 g | Surmai is the most expensive and celebrated fish in Maharashtra's coastal markets. A surmai curry dinner is a special occasion meal in Konkan households. Fisherwomen in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg wake before dawn to buy surmai from the boats as they come in — the best pieces are gone by 7 AM. The curry is always eaten with plain steamed rice and sol kadhi. ---

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