Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry | Fish Molee

My recipe for Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry is based on a traditional and popular fish curry called Fish Molee  or Meen Molee (pronounced ‘Moe-lee’) from the state of Kerala, in the southern part of India, where my family is from.

I adapted the recipe from my stovetop version of Fish Molee Curry.  It’s a fairly easy recipe to make on the stovetop, so that’s also an option.

This fish curry, like many South Indian recipes, has a coconut milk gravy.   If you’re familiar with Indian curries, you may notice that this recipe is different: it’s a fairly mild dish, with some very simple ingredients.  Some recipes for Fish Molee don’t even have coriander and cumin.  Any spiciness in the curry comes from the green chilies.

Tips and Substitutions

– I use a firm, fleshy fish like cod or haddock.  The fish pieces I use are usually an inch or more in thickness.  If you’re using a thinner or flakier fish fillet, it’s possible you could overcook the fish.  Either reduce cooking time or pressure cook the fish at low pressure for 5 minutes.  Be very careful when removing the fish not to let it break apart.

– Most recipes call for sliced onions.  My family prefers the onions to be diced.  Feel free to use sliced onions.

– My original recipe for Fish Molee Curry calls for a cinnamon stick, whole cloves and cardamom pods.  I’ve left them out in this version, but you can definitely include them: saute a cinnamon stick, 4 whole cloves, and 4 cardamom pods.  And then add onions.

– If you are able to find fresh curry leaves, add about 10 leaves to the coconut oil first, before sauteing the onions. (Side note: if you’ve never used curry leaves, you really should try them out; the aroma and flavor are heavenly!  You should be able to find curry leaves at Indian grocery stores or online.)  And no, lime leaves, bay leaves, basil leaves are not even close – just omit curry leaves if you can’t get hold of them.

– I find that serrano green chilies have a more consistent heat level than jalapenos do.  i.e. while one jalapeno pepper can be very spicy,  another can be pretty mild.  So I like to use serrano chili peppers in my cooking.

– When I forget to thaw the fish, I cut the frozen fish into pieces and follow the same recipe without changing cooking time.  Works great!

Instant Pot DUO Pressure Cook:

• Close the lid and make sure steam release handle is in ‘Sealing’ position
• Press ‘Manual’ (or ‘Pressure Cook’) and ‘+’ or ‘-‘ until display reads ‘2′ (2 minutes).

Instant Pot ULTRA Pressure Cook:

• Close the lid.
• Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust time to 2 minutes (00:02).
• Press ‘Start’.

Instant Pot DUO Quick Release:

• Move the steam release handle to ‘Venting’. I like to place a folded towel over the steam release handle and move it to the venting position. Remove the towel after turning the knob.
• When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
• Press ‘Cancel’ and open the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot ULTRA Quick Release:

• Press down on the Steam Release Button until it locks into place, and steam begins to come out of the Steam Release Valve.
• When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
• Press ‘Cancel’ and open the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry

Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry is inspired by a popular fish curry that's traditional in the Southern part of India.  This mild coconut milk-based curry with a tinge of tartness is so quick and easy to make. Kick up the heat by adding more jalapeno or serrano chilies.  Serve over rice. 

Print

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 190 kcal

Author Paint the Kitchen Red

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 10   curry leaves optional
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 1 Tbsp garlic
• 1 Tbsp ginger
• 1/2 serrano or jalapeno chili pepper sliced or slit (use 1 whole chili for spicy)
• 1 cup tomato chopped
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp  ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp  turmeric
• 1/2 tsp  black pepper 
• 1 tsp  salt
• 2 Tbsp water for deglazing
• 1 cup canned coconut milk about 1/2 of 14 oz. can
• 1 1/2 lbs fish fillets e.g. firm fish like cod or haddock, cut into 2-inch pieces 
• 1 tsp  lime juice
• Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish optional
• Fresh tomato slices for garnish optional

Instructions

1. Select the 'Saute' function and pre-heat the Instant Pot.
2. Add coconut oil to the pre-heated inner pot of Instant Pot and allow it to heat up.
3. Add curry leaves (if using) and stir for about 20 seconds.
4. Add onions, garlic, ginger and green chilies to the inner pot. 
5. Stir onion mixture until onions are translucent.
6. Add tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes release their liquid and start breaking down.
7. Add in coriander, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, and salt.
8. Saute until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn!  
9. Deglaze with a tablespoon or two of water.
10. Stir in coconut milk.
11. Carefully add in fish pieces.
12. Gently lift up the fish pieces so that the coconut milk reaches the floor of the inner pot, and the fish is coated with the sauce.
13. Close the lid and pressure cook for 2 minutes. *

14. Do a Quick Release of pressure (QR) and open the lid.

15. Add lime juice to the Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry.
16. Gently stir the curry without breaking up the fish.
17. Carefully remove fish and gravy into a serving bowl.  Garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh tomato slices.
18. Serve over rice.

Recipe Notes

• Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. minced garlic, cut vegetables, etc.
• Optional: saute a cinnamon stick, 4 whole cloves, and 4 cardamom pods before adding onions.
• * If your pieces of fish are thin and/or delicate, pressure cook on low pressure for 5 minutes and do a quick release of pressure (QR).
• At any point in the Saute mode, if you find that the ingredients are burning, press 'Cancel' and then resume the Saute function once the Instant Pot has cooled down.
• To guard against splatter, use a splatter screen.
• See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips.

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 190 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 11g 17%

Saturated Fat 8g 40%

Cholesterol 33mg 11%

Sodium 458mg 19%

Total Carbohydrates 6g 2%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 3g

Protein 16g 32%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

I am not a certified nutritionist.  I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers.  If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons,  I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.

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