When the markets are teeming with fish during summer, it’s the right time to enjoy a variety of seafood. Here are a few varieties of Indian fish curry that go well with steamed rice or bread. They all are spicy and tangy, so be prepared for a blow that’s out of this world

Macher Jhol (Bengali fish curry)

Ingredients

For marination

6 slices of fish (Rohu/Katla)

1tsp salt

1tsp turmeric powder

For the spice paste

1½tsp red chilli powder

2tsp cumin powder

1½tsp coriander powder

2tsp mustard seeds

2tbsp water

Other ingredients

2 medium potatoes – peeled, sliced into thick wedges

2 tomatoes – deseeded and cut lengthwise

2-3 green chillies

1tsp cumin seeds

1tsp turmeric powder

1¼ cups water – for gravy

Salt to taste

¼ cup mustard oil

Method

Marinate the fish slices with salt and turmeric powder. Keep them aside for 10 minutes. Heat ¼ cup mustard oil and add the marinated fish pieces. Fry both sides of the fish pieces for 2-3 minutes on medium flame. Remove the fish and set aside. Strain the excess oil and reserve.

In the same pan, if required, add some more mustard oil and wait until the oil becomes hot. Add 1tsp cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add the potato pieces into the pan and cook on medium flame for a couple of minutes.

Add 1tsp turmeric powder, salt, and mix. Cook over medium flame for another 3-4 minutes. Add tomato slices, 2-3 green chillies into the pan and stir. Cover the pan and cook on low flame for 5-6 minutes until the potatoes get cooked and tomatoes get mushy.

In the meantime, take a bowl and add 1tsp red chilli powder, 1½tsp coriander powder, 2tsp cumin powder and 2tbsp water. Mix it thoroughly to make a smooth paste. Add this paste into the pan and stir. Cook on low flame for 2-3 minutes till the raw smell disappears. Add 1¼ cups of water into the pan and give stir well.

Cover the pan and cook on high flame until the gravy starts boiling. Lower heat to simmer and add the fried fish pieces into the gravy carefully. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and serve the fish curry piping hot with steamed rice.

Meen Molee (Kerala fish stew)

Ingredients

For the marinade

½kg fish (pomfret, mackerel

1tbsp lemon juice

1tsp turmeric powder

1tsp pepper powder

Salt (as required)

For the fish molee

2cm sized ginger piece – minced

2-3 garlic cloves – minced

1 medium sized onion – sliced

3-4 green chillies – slit

¼tsp turmeric powder

1tsp pepper

1 cup thin coconut milk

1 cup thick coconut milk

2 sprigs of curry leaves

1tbsp lemon juice

1 tomato – sliced

Salt, to taste

2tbsp coconut oil

Method

Marinate fish pieces with lemon juice, pepper, salt and turmeric powder for 15-20 minutes. In a pan, add little oil and shallow fry the fish on both sides. Set aside. In a separate pan, add oil and heat on a medium flame. Add curry leaves, ginger, garlic and green chilies, and saute for a minute until its raw smell subsides.

Add the sliced onions and saute until it turns translucent. Add turmeric powder, pepper powder, and thin coconut milk. Close the lid and allow the curry to boil for 5-6 minutes on a medium flame. When the oil starts separating, reduce the flame to a low and add lemon juice, and mix well.

Now add the fried fish, cover it with the gravy, and allow the curry to blend well with the fish. Bring it to a boil but do not stir once the fish is added. Now add the thick coconut milk and simmer on a low flame for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and more curry leaves, close the lid, and switch off the flame. Let the tomato cook in the remaining steam.

Serve this fish curry with appams, rice or chapatis.

Meen Gassi (Mangalorean fish curry)

Ingredients

For the curry

500g fish slices (kingfish/pomfret/mackerel

4tbsp coconut oil

2 tomatoes – finely chopped

1 medium onion – finely chopped

4 green chillies – slit

2cm piece ginger – grated

3½ cups water

2tsp salt

2-3 sprigs of curry leaves

For curry paste

1 cup grated coconut

4-5 dried red chillies

2tsp coriander powder

1tsp turmeric powder

½tsp cumin seeds

¼tsp fenugreek seeds

¼tsp carom seeds

½tsp black peppercorns

6 garlic cloves

½ onion – sliced

1 lemon sized tamarind ball

Salt, to taste

Method

In a heavy-bottom pan, heat some coconut oil and add ginger, green chillies, and onion. Saute until the raw smell disappears. Add the tomatoes, salt, and cook until tomatoes turn slightly mushy.

Blend all the curry paste ingredients with little water to make a fine paste. Add this paste into the cooked tomatoes and saute for about 5-6 minutes on medium flame. Let the rawness of the masala disappear, then add half a cup of water and cook until the oil separates and is visible on top.

Add 3 more cups of water, salt, and bring it to boil on medium flame. Add the fish, cover and cook for another 10 minutes on medium-low flame. Then, open the lid and let the curry simmer. In another pan, heat oil and splutter curry leaves and sliced onion, fry until brown, and pour this tempering over the curry. This fish curry is best enjoyed with rice, or neer dosas.