Fish Korma is my go-to dish when I wish to indulge in something heartier and satisfying than the everyday fish curry. Cooking it with Rohu fish predominantly, I sauté the onions till they are deep golden and keep aside some of them to be added at the end as a garnish. This really makes the gravy special as I cook it with the cashew raisin paste, yogurt, and whole spices. The fried fish is added in towards the end so that it absorbs all the flavors without overcooking. I finish it off with a dollop of ghee and a pinch of shahi garam masala to elevate the taste and flavor of my Fish Korma.
At a Glance:
- Fish Korma is a variant of traditional korma offering the taste and flavor of korma without chicken or lamb.
- It is a creamy, mildly sweet and spicy dish distinguished by its velvety texture that further enhances the provocative flavor of
- Fish Korma is best enjoyed with steamed rice.
- It takes forty-five minutes in total, which includes 15 minutes of prep time, 10 minutes for marination and 20 minutes to cook this dish at home.
- You may use chicken, vegetable, prawn, paneer, lamb, mushroom, or tofu instead of fish to make an alternative to Fish Korma.
The Ingredients:
- Rohu fish – 700 grams (cut into 7 pieces and cleaned)
- Onion for beresta: chopped (2 large, sliced)
- Ginger-garlic-onion paste: A fine paste of 2 medium onions, 1-inch ginger, 6-7 cloves of garlic, 5-6 red colored green chilies
- Cashew paste: A paste of 15 cashew nuts and 10-12 raisins
- Yogurt: 3 tbsp (well beaten)
- Bay leaves: 2 pieces
- Cinnamon: 3 sticks, 1 inch each
- Cardamom: 4 pieces
- Cloves: 3 pieces
- Shahi garam masala – 1 tsp
- Ghee – 1 tbsp (or an equal amount of butter, although the flavor will differ)
- Refined oil: 3 tbsp (or mustard oil which will give the korma a more pronounced flavor)
- Salt – 1 tsp, adjust to taste
- Warm water – 1 cup
How to Cook Fish Korma (Step by Step Images)?
1. Grind both pastes and beat the yogurt first. Then, marinate the fish pieces with salt, and set them aside for 10 minutes.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of refined oil in a wok on a medium flame.
3. Fry the chopped onions until they turn dark brown.
4. Take out the fried onions and place them on a plate. They will be used as beresta.
5. Take another pan and heat 1 tbsp of refined oil in it on a medium flame.
6. Fry the fish for about 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown on both sides, and then transfer them to a plate.
(Pro Tip: Do not over-fry the fish because it can make it crispy and less juicy).
7. Add the whole spices such as bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and give them a good stir for about 10 seconds.
8. Add the ginger garlic onion paste and mix well.
9. Add ¼ tsp of salt.
10. Add the cashew-raisin paste.
11. Add half of the beresta (fried onions), stir well and cook until oil starts to separate.
12. Reduce the flame to low. Add yogurt and mix well.
(Pro Tip: Stir continuously because it will prevent the yogurt from curdling).
13. Add 1 cup of warm water for the desired gravy consistency.
14. Once the water comes to a boil, add the fried fish. Simmer for about 5 to 6 minutes.
(Pro Tip: Once the fish is added, let it simmer gently and avoid frequent stirring to keep the pieces intact).
15. Sprinkle shahi garam masala.
16. Add the ghee for a royal flavor.
17. Turn off the stove. Sprinkle the remaining beresta (fried onions) and your tasty homemade Fish Korma is ready.
Variations to Try
- I would sometimes add saffron for a nice aroma.
- I would replace some of the cashews with blanched almonds for a creamier gravy.
- To get a richer Mughlai flavor, I would add more cashew paste, a little at a time, so that the gravy doesn’t get too thick.
- If I wanted to make it spicier, I would add another green chili to the masala paste.
Fish Korma Recipe Quick Fixes
Q: What should I do if the fried fish breaks while transferring it in Step 6?
A: I would use a flat spatula to lift each piece gently and ensure that the excess oil is drained before moving it to the plate.
Q: Why does my fried onion garnish taste bitter?
A: You may not have removed the onions as soon as they turned deep brown. If you left them to get darker than desired, the bitterness may transfer to the finished korma.
Q: My cashew-raisin paste is grainy. Shall I add in Step 10?
A: No. You need to grind the mixture again with a little water until the nuts and raisins form a smooth paste.
Q: How can I prevent the whole spices from burning?
A: In Step 7, you need to stir them briefly in the hot oil, and then add the ginger-garlic-onion paste promptly. The whole spices can turn bitter by burning.
Recipe Card:
Fish Korma (Macher Korma)
Ingredients
- Rohu fish – 700 grams cut into 7 pieces and cleaned
- Onion for beresta: chopped 2 large, sliced
- Ginger-garlic-onion paste: A fine paste of 2 medium onions 1-inch ginger, 6-7 cloves of garlic, 5-6 red colored green chilies
- Cashew paste: A paste of 15 cashew nuts and 10-12 raisins
- Yogurt: 3 tbsp well beaten
- Bay leaves: 2 pieces
- Cinnamon: 3 sticks 1 inch each
- Cardamom: 4 pieces
- Cloves: 3 pieces
- Shahi garam masala – 1 tsp
- Ghee – 1 tbsp or an equal amount of butter, although the flavor will differ
- Refined oil: 3 tbsp or mustard oil which will give the korma a more pronounced flavor
- Salt - 1 tsp adjust to taste
- Warm water – 1 cup
Instructions
- Grind both pastes and beat the yogurt first. Then, marinate the fish pieces with salt, and set them aside for 10 minutes.
- Heat 2 tbsp of refined oil in a wok on a medium flame.
- Fry the chopped onions until they turn dark brown.
- Take out the fried onions and place them on a plate. They will be used as beresta.
- Take another pan and heat 1 tbsp of refined oil in it on a medium flame.
- Fry the fish for about 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown on both sides, and then transfer them to a plate. (Pro Tip: Do not over-fry the fish because it can make it crispy and less juicy).
- Add the whole spices such as bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and give them a good stir for about 10 seconds.
- Add the ginger-garlic-onion paste and mix well.
- Add ¼ tsp of salt.
- Add the cashew-raisin paste.
- Add half of the beresta (fried onions), stir well and cook until oil starts to separate.
- Reduce the flame to low. Add yogurt and mix well. (Pro Tip: Stir continuously because it will prevent the yogurt from curdling).
- Add 1 cup of warm water for the desired gravy consistency.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add the fried fish. Simmer for about 5 to 6 minutes. (Pro Tip: Once the fish is added, let it simmer gently and avoid frequent stirring to keep the pieces intact).
- Sprinkle the shahi garam masala.
- Add the ghee for a royal flavor.
- Turn off the stove. Sprinkle the remaining beresta (fried onions) and your tasty homemade Fish Korma is ready.
