Name: Fish Curry
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1½ lb. firm white fish (such as grouper, tilapia, or cod), cut into 2" pieces; 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 1 tsp. Kashmiri chile powder or ½ tsp. cayenne pepper; ½ tsp. ground turmeric; 3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil or vegetable oil; 3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil or vegetable oil; 1 tsp. brown mustard seeds; 3–4 fresh or dried curry leaves (optional); ½ tsp. asafetida (optional); 1 3" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated; 5 garlic cloves, finely grated; Kosher salt; 1 large red onion, chopped; 1 tsp. ground turmeric; 1 14-oz. can crushed tomatoes; 1 13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk (not low-fat); 1 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth; Thinly sliced red onion, cilantro leaves with tender stems; cooked basmati rice, wild rice, or warm naan; and lime wedges (for serving)

Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman

This fragrant tomato-and-coconut curry with pieces of flaky white fish is a staple at chef Meherwan Irani’s dinner table. At home, he likes to make double or triple batches of the coconut milk curry (see his recipe for All-Purpose Coconut Curry here) and freeze it in two-cup portions. Then, when he’s ready for dinner, all he has to do is defrost a portion and sear pieces of spiced whitefish that finish cooking in the reheated curry. If you want to prepare this recipe with premade curry, bring 2 cups curry to a gentle simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the seared fish to the pan and simmer until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.

What you’ll need

Microplane Grater
$18 At Amazon
Dutch Oven
$100 At Amazon
Fish Spatula
$18 At Amazon

Recipe notes

Baked Butter Paneer

I should address the awkward truth that I don’t use butter here but cream instead. You could, if you’re a stickler for tradition (and not a heretic like me), add a big slab of butter to the finished curry.

Coconut Chicken Katsu With Smashed Cucumbers

These crispy cutlets feature a coconut-breadcrumb coating and sriracha mayo. Pair with a bright cuke salad to turn into a meal.

Quick Butter-Braised Tomatoes and Dumplings

Store-bought dumplings, fresh tomatoes, butter, and soy sauce simmer away for dinner in a flash.

Soy-Glazed Salmon Bowls

Saucy, soy-honey salmon—cut into cubes to speed up the cooking process—makes a savory topping for a quick weeknight bowl.

Pad Kra Pao

This fast stir-fry dish pairs minced pork and fragrant basil with hot Thai chiles and a crispy fried egg.

Steak With Cherry Tomato Chutney

A steak dinner that’s more about the sauce than the meat.

Baan Mae’s Thom Khem Thaohu

Slowly caramelized sugar, sweet lychees, warming spices, and fiery ginger create the perfect base for tofu to simmer in.

Classic French Bouillabaisse With Rouille

This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.