Indian & South Asian · Lunch · Dinner
Fish Molee
Meen Molee (മീൻ മോളി)
A gentle Kerala fish stew in which firm white fish simmers in a pale, fragrant sauce of light coconut milk, ginger, green chilli and curry leaves. It is mild, creamy and comforting without being heavy.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 16% · Fat 38% · Protein 46%
Track it in BerryFit and see how it fits your own daily target. Get the app ›
Ingredients
For 4 servings- 500 gFirm white fish fillets (seer fish, cod or tilapia), cut into 5 cm pieces
- 1 tspGround turmeric
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1 tbsp15 gLemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp7 gCoconut oil
- 1/2 tspBlack mustard seeds
- 2 sprigs (about 20 leaves)Fresh curry leaves
- 1 large150 gOnion, thinly sliced
- 2.5 cm piece10 gFresh ginger, cut into thin strips
- 4 cloves12 gGarlic, thinly sliced
- 315 gGreen chillies, slit lengthways
- 1/2 tspGround black pepper
- 1 medium120 gTomato, cut into wedges
- 1 can (400 ml)Light coconut milk
- 1/2 cup120 gWater
Steps
- 1
Pat the fish pieces dry with paper towel.
- 2
Rub the fish with half the turmeric, half the salt and the lemon juice, then set aside for 10 minutes.
- 3
Heat the coconut oil in a wide, shallow non-stick pan over medium heat.
- 4
Add the mustard seeds and let them pop for a few seconds.
- 5
Add the curry leaves and stir for 10 seconds until they crackle.
- 6
Add the onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies and cook gently for 6-8 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned, adding a splash of the measured water if the pan gets dry.
- 7
Stir in the remaining turmeric and the black pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
- 8
Pour in the rest of the water and half the coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
- 9
Lay the fish pieces in the pan in a single layer and spoon the sauce over them.
- 10
Cover and simmer gently for 6-8 minutes, without stirring, until the fish turns opaque and flakes easily (63 °C / 145 °F in the thickest part).
- 11
Add the tomato wedges and the rest of the coconut milk and swirl the pan to combine.
- 12
Heat for 2-3 minutes on low without letting it boil hard, so the coconut milk stays smooth.
- 13
Taste and add the remaining salt as needed, then rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use firm tofu cubes or boiled potatoes and green beans instead of the fish for a vegan version, adding them at the same stage and simmering until heated through.
- Swap the light coconut milk for full-fat coconut milk if you want a richer, thicker sauce.
- Use frozen white fish fillets, fully thawed in the fridge and patted very dry, if fresh seer fish or cod is hard to find.
- Replace the fresh curry leaves with a bay leaf if you can't find them, though the flavour will be less distinctive.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 3 days, reheating gently on low until steaming hot without boiling, so the coconut milk doesn't split. Freezing isn't recommended, as the fish turns soft and the sauce can separate.
Make ahead
Slice the onion, ginger, garlic and chillies up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. You can also cook the spiced onion base ahead and chill it, then reheat it and add the coconut milk and fish just before serving.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
Track this in BerryFit
Log Fish Molee in one tap and see how it fits your remaining calories for today.
Or ask Coach Berry to change it
Allergens and nutrition
Contains: FishMustard
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (341 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 213 kcal | 62 kcal |
| Protein | 23.9 g | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8.7 g | 2.6 g |
| of which sugars | 2.8 g | 0.8 g |
| Fiber | 1.5 g | 0.4 g |
| Fat | 9 g | 2.6 g |
| of which saturated | 7.1 g | 2.1 g |
| Sodium | 661 mg | 194 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
