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Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry | Fish Molee

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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.

Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry in dark bowl with rice and poppadums

Since I use the Instant Pot as much as I do, I  find myself cooking a lot of meat and chicken dishes.  But every so often I get a hankering for fish!

 

I always keep a bag of Costco wild-caught Pacific cod in my freezer so I can make something quick and easy like fish tacos or this Instant Pot Fish Curry. You may think that the Instant Pot would overcook fish, but I’ve not found that to be the case.

 

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.

 

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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!

If you’re new to the  Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, please read the Instant Pot  DUO Beginner’s Quick Start Guide or the Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Quick Start Guide first and then come back here to learn how to make this Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry.

GO DIRECTLY TO RECIPE

Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry Ingredients

Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry Ingredients - fish, onion, tomato, coconut milk, black pepper, coriander, turmeric, coconut oil, cumin, lime juice, salt, green chili, garlic, ginger

 

How to Make Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry (Step-by-Step Instructions)


Instant Pot Ultra Duo Saute Function collage - arrows pointing to Saute in Duo and Ultra - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Instant Pot DUO:  Select the ‘Saute’ function.
  • Instant Pot ULTRA:  Select the ‘Saute’ function and press ‘Start’.

 

Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry Instructions collage - add coconut oil, saute onions, saute garlic ginger and green chilies

  • Add coconut oil to pre-heated inner pot of Instant Pot and allow it to heat up.
  • Add onions, garlic, ginger and green chilies to the inner pot.
  • To guard against splatter, use a splatter screen.

 

Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry Instructions collage - fried onion mixture, add tomatoes, sauted tomatoes and onion mixture

  • Stir onion mixture until onions are translucent.
  • Add tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes release their liquid and start breaking down.

 

Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry Instructions collage - add spices, stir, deglaze

  • Add in coriander, cumin, turmeric, black pepper and salt.
  • Saute until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn!  Press ‘Cancel’ at any time if you find it’s overheating.  Turn back on once cooled down a bit.
  • Deglaze with a tablespoon or two of water.

 

Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry Instructions collage - add coconut milk, add fish, gently stir

  • Stir in coconut milk.
  • Carefully add in fish pieces.
  • Gently lift up and move the fish pieces around so that the coconut milk reaches the floor of the inner pot and the fish is coated with the liquid.

 

Instant Pot Duo Manual mode 2 minutes collage - close lid, press manual, press + -, display says 2 - Paint the Kitchen RedInstant 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 2 minutes collage - open lid, select pressure cook and set time to 00:02, display says on - Paint the Kitchen Red

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 Pressure Cooking collage - display shows On, float valve is down, display shows L0:00 - Paint the Kitchen Red Instant Pot Ultra pressure cooking collage - Ultra display shows On, float valve is up, display shows 00 00 - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Instant Pot display will change to ‘On’.
  • Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
  • The display will count down from 2 to 0; it will then switch to ‘Keep Warm’ mode and display ‘L0:00’  or ’00 00′ and begin to count up.

 

Instant Pot Duo release steam and open collage - move steam release handle to venting with help of a towel, float valve is down, Instant Pot Duo is open - Paint the Kitchen RedInstant 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 Release Steam and Open collage - press steam release button, float valve in down position, Instant Pot Ultra is open - Paint the Kitchen RedInstant 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 Instructions 5 collage - add lime juice, stir

  • Add lime juice to the Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry.
  • Gently stir the curry without breaking up the fish.
  • Carefully remove fish and gravy into a serving bowl. Garnish with cilantro and sliced tomatoes, if desired.  Serve over rice.

Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry in dark bowl

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. 
4.89 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: fish curry, instant pot
Main Ingredient: seafood
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 190kcal
Author: Paint the Kitchen Red

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Select the 'Saute' function and pre-heat the Instant Pot.
  • Add coconut oil to the pre-heated inner pot of Instant Pot and allow it to heat up.
  • Add curry leaves (if using) and stir for about 20 seconds.
  • Add onions, garlic, ginger and green chilies to the inner pot. 
  • Stir onion mixture until onions are translucent.
  • Add tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes release their liquid and start breaking down.
  • Add in coriander, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, and salt.
  • Saute until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn!  
  • Deglaze with a tablespoon or two of water.
  • Stir in coconut milk.
  • Carefully add in fish pieces.
  • 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.
  • Close the lid and pressure cook for 2 minutes. *
  • Do a Quick Release of pressure (QR) and open the lid.
  • Add lime juice to the Instant Pot Indian Fish Curry.
  • Gently stir the curry without breaking up the fish.
  • Carefully remove fish and gravy into a serving bowl.  Garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh tomato slices.
  • Serve over rice.

Video

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

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 458mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g
Have you made this recipe?I love seeing your photos! Tag me on Instagram @PaintTheKitchenRed hashtag #paintthekitchenred

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.

If you loved this recipe, please give it a 5 Star rating in the comment section below and please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pat

    October 28, 2018 at 10:24 am

    I love your “tried and true” recipes. I find your cooking times are bang on. I used thick pieces of bass for this. I was able to find curry leaves. Love shopping in ethnis stores for correct ingredients. I love to cook and your recipes are so easy to follow. Love my IP!!!! Keep on cookin’!!!!!!

    Reply

    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      October 28, 2018 at 2:14 pm

      Hi Pat, what a lovely comment that’ll keep me going for the whole week and longer! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and I’m glad you liked the recipe. Don’t you love the aroma of curry leaves frying? – one of my favorite smells, that reminds me of my mom’s homecooking in India.

      Reply

  4. Julie Kerr

    December 13, 2018 at 3:30 pm

    What a wonderful recipe! So simple and very easy to follow instructions. I was hesitant about the 2 min cook time but the fish was cooked to perfection. Thank you!

    Reply

  7. Jacqueline

    January 30, 2019 at 8:34 am

    I have dried curry leaves…should I use 5? (I usually halve the amount when I use dried herbs.) What do you suggest? Can’t wait to try this!!

    Reply

  8. Anne

    February 15, 2019 at 11:28 am

    Excellent thank you.
    My fish was frozen – I just put the fillets in whole and did 4 minutes on high pressure with quick release and it turned out great.
    Big hit with the family. Even my picky 7 year old loved it and asked if I could make it again tomorrow.

    Reply

  9. Suzanne

    March 4, 2019 at 12:20 pm

    Neena,

    I just discovered your blog, and this curry stew was soooooooo good! I had seconds and frankly had to stop myself from eating it all, since the family wasn’t eating with me. I will definitely be making this again!

    I’ve also bookmarked the Indian recipes page, since we are all fans of Indian food here.

    Reply

  12. Abhinav

    March 16, 2019 at 8:31 am

    Really Fish curry is easy and awesome recipe ever cooked. I tried this recipe at home I love this recipe and my family member also love this fish curry.

    Reply

  13. Maj-Britt

    March 25, 2019 at 9:02 pm

    This recipe was delicious and exactly what I was looking for. I had The wild cod from Costco, a can of coconut milk and a can of tomatoes and wanted to use my instant pot and voila your recipe popped right up! The Costco cod is a great find btw! I also added In a Kabocha squash, romanesco and pickled jalapeños (which tasted great but used cayenne to actually turn up the heat). Can’t wait to make it again, thank you!

    Reply

  14. Tracey Lizsa Mancuso

    April 14, 2019 at 7:43 am

    Turned out great and tastes very similar to dish’s we had when we were in India. Loved it and can’t wait to make more from your recipes.

    Reply

  15. Meera

    June 17, 2019 at 7:18 pm

    I used ling cod and had to cut it in somewhat smaller pieces so I only cooked at pressure for 1 minute (then natural release). I used less fish than called for in the recipe because that is all I had but I made the full amount of sauce. I did use the extra spices (cinnamon stick, whole cloves and cardamoms). This dish was fantastic. I have a an instant pot that I am borrowing right now and this is the best recipe I have made in it! Amazing flavors. My husband said it is 10/10!

    Reply

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