Fish and green mango curry

I can hear you say it. Fish and fruit together in a curry? It may sound a little weird but trust me, it just works so well. And in any case, the green mango is used here as a souring agent, not as a vegetable in the dish. 

Surrounded by the ocean on every side, we eat a lot of fish. While tuna is part of our staple diet, I prefer white-fleshed reef fish for curries and grilling. Any firm fish will do, however.

This is a pretty handy recipe, quick to prepare if you have the ingredients on hand. The curry paste I usually keep prepared and in the fridge. So a spoonful of that when needed saves on time.

The green mangoes are unripe mangoes. They are small and sour. Once they start to ripen, you will need to find a different use for the mangoes because this curry requires green, unripe mangoes.

Fish and green mango curry

Serves 4

Ingredients
500g firm fish
2 small green/unripe mangoes
oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tablespoon yellow spice paste
500ml coconut milk
salt
lime juice

Cut the fish into a little larger than bite sized pieces. Wash the mangoes well and cut into small dice. I do not peel the mangoes because the ones I get here have thin skin. If you prefer to remove the skin, you may peel the green layer of skin off before cutting up the mangoes.

Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onion until translucent. Throw in the mustard seeds and curry leaves and fry a little longer. Add the spice paste, stir to release the aromas. Pour in the coconut milk and mix well. Allow the liquid to heat and start to boil. Place the fish in the sauce and salt to taste. Cover and cook for a few minutes, until the fish is just cooked and the sauce is starting to thicken a little. Adjust seasoning, sprinkle with lime juice and remove from heat.

Serve straight away with flat breads or plain rice.