This delicious, easy, tender, Spicy Coconut Fish Curry – Instant Pot Fish infused with coconut takes under 20 minutes and a handful of ingredients. Pair with rice and vegetables for a healthy weeknight dinner.

Fish type for Spicy Coconut Fish Curry – Instant Pot Fish
This recipe is inspired from Mangalorean food. The traditional way of making this fish curry is to grind the whole spices. I have tried to simplify the steps and whip a quick and easy dish by using already ground spices.
I prefer to use tilapia fillet (but other white firm fish like cod, or flounder of your choosing will work).
Steps:
Prep: First, chop the fish fillet into 4″ x 3″ in length and width. Second, drizzle ½ tsp ground turmeric and 1/2 tsp salt. Further, mix gently and let the salt and turmeric sit on the fish sit for 5 to 10 mins.
Finely chop the onions. Slit the serrano peppers but they need to be intact.

Cook:
Firstly, select sauté on the Instant Pot and adjust to normal. Secondly, add oil to the pot.
Thirdly, when the oil is hot add in chopped onions, serrano peppers and curry leaves. Let the onions turn golden, it should take about 3 minutes. Keep stirring.
Once the onions are golden, add in red chili powder, ground coriander, 1/2 tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp salt. Give it a good stir and let it sauté for a minute.
Next, add in 1 cup water. Give it a good stir. Further, gently add the fish and make sure the fish is soaked in the liquid.
Furthermore, press cancel. Close the lid and select manual/high pressure for 3 minutes. When done quick release the pressure and open the lid right away.
Select sauté and add in the coconut milk and tamarind concentrate.

Let the curry come to a boil and sauté for a minute or two or until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve over steamed rice.

Tried this recipe yet? Give us a rating, comment below in the reply section and let us know what you think.
Try some of our other recipes:
Malabar Shrimp Curry – Instant POt
Instant Pot Authentic Kashmiri Rogan Josh
Instant Pot Kashmiri Chicken Yakhni
Spicy Coconut Fish Curry – Instant Pot Fish
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound tilapia fillet (or any firm white fish)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric (divided)
- 1 tsp salt (divided)
- 3 tbsp oil of choice
- 1 onion, small (1 cup chopped)
- 2 serrano pepper, small (hari mirch) (slit by still intact)
- 10 curry leaves (kadi patta)
- 1 tbsp red chili powder (cayenne pepper) (reduce if you can't handle heat)
- 2 tbsp ground coriander (dhaniya powder)
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup coconut milk (canned, I used AROY-D)
- 1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate
Instructions
Prep
- First, chop the fish fillet into 4″ x 3″ in length and width. Second, drizzle ½ tsp ground turmeric and 1/2 tsp salt. Further, mix gently and let the salt and turmeric sit on the fish sit for 5 to 10 mins.
- Finely chop the onions. Slit the serrano peppers but they need to be intact.
Cook
- When the oil is hot add in chopped onions, serrano peppers and curry leaves. Let the onions turn golden, it should take about 3 minutes. Keep stirring.
- Once the onions are golden, add in red chili powder, ground coriander, 1/2 tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp salt. Give it a good stir and let it sauté for a minute.
- Next, add in 1 cup water. Give it a good stir. Further, gently add the fish and make sure the fish is soaked in the liquid. Furthermore, press cancel.
- Close the lid and select manual/high pressure for 3 minutes. When done quick release the pressure and open the lid right away.
- Select sauté and add in the coconut milk and tamarind concentrate.
- Let the curry come to a boil and sauté for a minute or two or until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve over steamed rice.
You must log in to post a comment.