Fish Korma (dairy-free)
My dairy-free version of this creamy dish - with cashew nuts, coconut milk, and warm spices - is so delicious and comforting, it could become a new favourite for you too!
Servings: 6 people
Equipment
- Stick blender or regular blender
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
- 1 onion large, diced
- 1 piece of ginger (about 2 cm or 1 in) fresh, peeled and grated or minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1½ tsp garam masala mild
- ½ tsp cinnamon ground
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 400 ml coconut milk (14 oz) 1 can
- ½ cup cashew nuts raw
- 400-500 g fish fillets (1 lb) whiting, haddock, cod or similar; boneless, thawed if frozen, about
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup cilantro fresh, chopped
Instructions
- Cut fish fillets into bite-size chunks, sprinkle with salt and set aside. Place cashew nuts in the cup of a hand blender (or jar of a regular blender), cover with hot water and let it soak for a few minutes.
- Heat coconut oil (or ghee) in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until they start to get translucent. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes, without letting them burn.
- Add all the dry spices and mix well to coat the onions and get fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, stir well, season with salt to taste and a pinch of ground black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the fish chunks and let them cook in the sauce until opaque and flaky (about 8-10 minutes).
- Meanwhile, strain the water from the cashew nuts, add the coconut milk to the blender cup/jar and blend until smooth. Add this cashew cream to the pan and bring the mixture back to a gentle boil. If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a bit of hot water. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Simmer for a few minutes stirring often to prevent burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. The sauce will also become creamier as it cooks.
- Sprinkle with fresh cilantro (+ more cashews - optional) and serve.
Notes
- Serve with cooked basmati rice and/or hot naan (or this easy flatbread), or cauliflower rice to keep it a low-carb meal.
- The same korma sauce can be used with peeled shrimp (made in the same way as the fish) or diced vegetables (such as cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, green beans, peas) and/or paneer (Indian cheese). If using vegetables, add them after adding the spices, and let them cook with a bit of water and the tomatoes until softened, before proceeding with the cashew cream. If using paneer (in cubes), it can be added at a later stage, as it doesn't need to be cooked, just heated through.
- This sauce would still work with bite-size pieces of meat (e.g. chicken, beef, lamb, or goat), but they would have to be seasoned and seared/cooked before adding to the sauce.