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Fish vindaloo is made from fish pieces, usually with fewer bones, such as Kingfish, marinated with lemon juice and other spices. These marinated fish pieces are then cooked in rich masala paste made from mustard seeds, ginger, white vinegar, and garlic along with sauteed onion and a variety of spices. You can make fish vindaloo at home quickly and very easily. Continue reading my simple recipe to create this unique dish at home and surprise your family.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Fish Vindaloo is a common dish in Goa but loved by most Indians.
Serve it with steamed rice, roti, bread, or even buttered jeera rice for the best experience.

Fish vindaloo tastes tangy and spicy.
Other similar recipes are prawn vindaloo, chicken vindaloo, mutton vindaloo, and Goan fish curry.

The Ingredients:

For fish marinade:

8 kingfish slices
½ tsp salt
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1 tbsp lime juice

For making the vindaloo paste:

8 pieces Kashmiri chilies (deseeded)
15 peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick (half-inch size)
8 pieces cloves
4 cloves garlic (medium size, peeled, whole)
1 piece ginger (1 inch size, peeled, cut into smaller pieces)
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp mustard seeds
¼ cup white vinegar

For frying the marinated fish pieces:

4 tbsp cooking oil

For making fish vindaloo gravy:

3 tbsp cooking oil
1 piece onion (large, finely sliced)
1 cup water
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
2 pieces green chilies (whole)

This recipe came from a friend’s elder sister who lives in Goa and visited during Durga Puja. She taught me this dish for adding a twist to the regular Bengali menu. I wrote down the recipe and decided to try it out sometime later.

My husband said it was simply “Goan,” and the boys licked their plates clean. Now, this dish features regularly in our menu. That recipe wasn’t just food—it was celebration, culture, and devotion served together on one memorable plate.

How to Make Fish Vindaloo? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: First, take 8 kingfish slices and marinate it with ½ tsp of salt, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, and 1 tbsp of lime juice. Keep it aside for 10 minutes so that the spices infuse nicely into the fish pieces.

(Pro tip: Always use fresh and firm fish pieces, preferably with little or no bones, to make the dish).

Step 2: Then, take 8 pieces of Kashmiri red chilies in a separate bowl and deseed them first. Then, soak them in water and keep the bowl aside for about 10 minutes or so.

(Pro tip: Kashmiri red chilies usually add to the color of the dish and not its hotness. If you want it hot and spicy, you may add a bit of regular red chili powder in the marinade).

Step 3: In the meantime, in a mixer, put about 15 pieces of peppercorns, 1 cinnamon stick of about half-inch size, 8 pieces of cloves, 4 cloves of garlic (medium size, peeled, whole), 1 piece of ginger (1 inch size, peeled, cut into smaller pieces), ½ tsp of cumin seeds, ½ tsp of mustard seeds, and ¼ tsp of turmeric powder.

Step 4: Then, take the soaked red chilies out from the water and put in the mixer along with ¼ cup of white vinegar. Grind them all to make a thick paste. Remove it onto a bowl and keep it aside.

Step 5: Now, heat 4 tbsp of cooking oil on a high flame in a pan. When the oil is hot, reduce the flame to medium and put the marinated pieces of fish in it carefully. Flip and fry them on both sides until they turn slightly golden brown in color. When done, remove them from the frying pan and put them in a separate bowl.

Step 6: Now, take a separate kadai and heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil in it on a low flame. When the oil is hot, put finely sliced pieces of one large onion and fry them until they turn golden brown.

Step 7: At this stage, add the red chili and spice paste that you have made earlier. Mix it nicely and cook it on a low flame for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the oil separates.

Step 8: When the oil separates, pour a cup of water and then add salt to taste along with 1 tsp of sugar to it. Give it a nice mix. Cover it and bring it to a boil.

Step 9: When the gravy starts boiling, remove the cover and check the consistency of the gravy. If it is too runny, let it cook for a couple of minutes more without the cover.

Step 10: When you are happy with the consistency, add the fried fish and stir gently to mix the gravy nicely with every piece. Make sure all the fish pieces are nicely submerged in the gravy.

Step 11: Now, add 2 pieces of whole green chilies to the gravy. Turn the flame of the gas stove to low and let the gravy simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes more.