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You are here: Home / Dairy Free / Fish in Coconut Curry (Mtuzi wa Samaki)

March 21, 2014 By Kaitlin 11 Comments

Fish in Coconut Curry (Mtuzi wa Samaki)

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This is probably apparent with the different types of recipes I post but I really like some variety in what I eat. As a kid, I ate the exact same meals every day because I was so picky, so now that I’ve (luckily) grown out of that, I want something new and different each time I cook.

Mtuzi wa Samaki (Fish in Coconut Curry)

I was just send Cooking Light’s latest cookbook: Global Kitchen: The World’s Most Delicious Food Made Easy that is filled with recipes from around the world. The recipes can be made with ingredients you can find in your supermarket, making it a great way to experiment with new flavors. There are so many recipes I plan to try in this book, and you can expect to see quite a few showing up on my blog! Cooking Light also sent me an extra copy of Global Kitchen so I am giving one away at the end of this post!

Fish in Coconut Curry (Mtuzi wa Samaki) This recipe for Fish in Coconut Curry (Mtuzi wa Samaki) takes a bit longer than most I post on here (~45 minutes) but is well worth the time. Because the recipe makes a really delicious sauce, I served it over rice. I also adapted it slightly to fit with what was available at my supermarket.

Mtuzi wa Samaki (Fish in Coconut Curry)

According to Global Kitchen, the recipe is based on a Tanzanian dish although fish curry originated in Zanzibar: Tanzania sits at a crossroads in the spice trade routes from India. That’s why Indian spices ended up in so many Tanzanian dishes like this fish curry. The dish originated in Zanzibar but is now enjoyed all over the eastern coast of Africa. Coconut milk enriches the curry and gives it a tropical flavor. Fish in Coconut Curry   Ingredients:

  • 1 pound skinless flounder or other white fish
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Madras curry powder, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
  • 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • the juice of one lemon
  • 3/4 cup light coconut milk
  • 4 lemon wedges
  • Chopped fresh cilantro

Combine 3/4 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the fish with the mixture.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat. Add the fish and cook for 4 minutes, or until the bottom is browned but the fish is still undercooked on top. (The fish will finish cooking later in the sauce). Remove the fish from the pan and reserve.

While waiting for the fish to cook, chop your onion, bell pepper, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes. You can combine the onion and bell pepper in one bowl, garlic and ginger in another bowl, and keep the tomatoes separate. (They are added at different times).

When the fish is done cooking and had been removed from the pan, add the onion and bell pepper to the pan. Saute for 4 minutes or until tender.

Add the ginger and garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Add the remaining 3/4 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, chopped tomatoes, and lemon juice.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down. Stir occasionally. After 10 minutes, mash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.

Stir in the coconut milk. Add the fish along with accumulated juices to the pan. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 8 minutes.

Add cooked rice to four bowls and divide the fish mixture evenly among the bowls. Top with chopped cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

Mtuzi wa Samaki (Fish in Coconut Curry)

I butchered the fish. By the time it was finished cooking, it was broken into a bunch of little pieces due to my stirring. So it’s not exactly the most beautiful dish I’ve ever made.

Mtuzi wa Samaki (Fish in Coconut Curry)

But oh, is it tasty. This is by no means a spicy dish but there is this warmth at the end that is really amazing.

Mtuzi wa Samaki (Fish in Coconut Curry)

I think this would be great with some steamed baby bok choy roughly chopped and added at the end to add some more veggies to the mix. I will have to try that next time!   Want to win a copy of your own? Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win! Good luck! [This giveaway is CLOSED]

Mtuzi wa Samaki (Fish in Coconut Curry)

Mtuzi wa Samaki (Fish in Coconut Curry)

Kaitlin @ I Can Cook That
Based on a Tanzanian dish found in Cooking Light's Global Kitchen: The World's Most Delicious Food Made Easy
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Seafood
Cuisine Tanzanian
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound skinless flounder or other white fish
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Madras curry powder divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
  • 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 plum tomatoes roughly chopped
  • the juice of one lemon
  • 3/4 cup light coconut milk
  • 4 lemon wedges
  • Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions
 

  • Combine 3/4 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl.
  • Sprinkle the fish with the mixture.
  • Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat. Add the fish and cook for 4 minutes, or until the bottom is browned but the fish is still undercooked on top. (The fish will finish cooking later in the sauce). Remove the fish from the pan and reserve.
  • While waiting for the fish to cook, chop your onion, bell pepper, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes. You can combine the onion and bell pepper in one bowl, garlic and ginger in another bowl, and keep the tomatoes separate. (They are added at different times).
  • When the fish is done cooking and had been removed from the pan, add the onion and bell pepper to the pan. Saute for 4 minutes or until tender.
  • Add the ginger and garlic and saute for 1 minute.
  • Add the remaining 3/4 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, chopped tomatoes, and lemon juice.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down. Stir occasionally. After 10 minutes, mash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
  • Stir in the coconut milk, and add the fish along with accumulated juices to the pan. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 8 minutes.
  • Add cooked rice to four bowls and divide the fish mixture evenly among the bowls. Top with chopped cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

If you make this recipe, share a photo on Instagram and tag me @icancookthat!
Keyword Coconut, Curry, Mtuzi wa Samaki, Rockfish, Seafood

 

Related posts:

Halibut with Coconut-Red Curry Thai Green Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice Fish with Pineapple Salsa and Tomato Avocado Salad Thai Coconut MusselsThai Coconut Mussels

Filed Under: Dairy Free, East Africa, Giveaway, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Seafood, Weeknight Meal Tagged With: Cilantro, Coconut, Coconut Milk, Curry, curry powder, Fish, Flounder, Garlic, Ginger, Giveaway, Global Kitchen, I Can Cook That, Lemon Juice, Lemons, Madras Curry, Mtuzi wa Samaki, Onion, Plum Tomatoes, Recipe, Red Bell Pepper, Seafood, Tanzania, Tomato, Tomatoes, Weeknight Meal, Zanzibar

Comments

  1. dana says

    March 21, 2014 at 3:41 pm

    shakshuka-an israeli poached egg and spicy tomato dish that you sop up with fresh bread/pita. so delicious and so nostalgic!

    Reply
  2. Medeja says

    March 22, 2014 at 9:27 am

    I can imagine how flavorful this fish was.. yummy!

    Reply
  3. Deb Morandi says

    March 22, 2014 at 3:23 pm

    This recipe looks amazing….planning it for dinner. 1 quick trip for coconut milk and I’m set!! Thanks

    Reply
    • Kaitlin @ I Can Cook That says

      March 25, 2014 at 2:30 pm

      I hope you liked the dish, Deb!!

      Reply
  4. Angela says

    March 22, 2014 at 6:22 pm

    This dish sounds awesome.
    Angela recently posted..Menu Plan MondayMy Profile

    Reply
  5. Elizabeth says

    March 22, 2014 at 9:04 pm

    This, Fish in Coconut Curry, Tanzanian dish sounds divine!

    Reply
  6. Julian says

    March 29, 2014 at 11:08 am

    Well as long as you are careful filleting the fish, this sounds absolutely delicious, I usually avoid fish curry, fish pie etc where its all mixed up, after a couple of bad incidents with bones but I love all sorts of fish, especially salmon, trout and haddock despite it nearly getting stone cold by the time I’ve dissected its every morsel and inspected for hazards !

    Reply
  7. Mega Sardines says

    February 10, 2015 at 8:42 am

    Coconut curry is perfect with fish, I’ve been looking for this kind of recipes. Thank you for sharing this one.

    Reply
  8. Smith says

    May 1, 2020 at 4:13 am

    Great! You are best for this recipe. Thank you for share good recipe with us. My wife love this fish recipe.
    Smith recently posted..The 10 Best Smoker Under $300 Review With Buyer GuideMy Profile

    Reply
  9. Foods Session says

    September 7, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    Looks Delicious Keep it up

    Reply
  10. nipa says

    January 30, 2025 at 7:11 pm

    I can totally relate to wanting variety in meals — it keeps cooking fun and exciting! Fish in coconut curry sounds like such a flavorful and comforting dish. The richness of the coconut must pair beautifully with the spices and tender fish. It’s great that you’ve embraced a more adventurous palate; trying different recipes is such a joyful way to explore food. Looking forward to seeing what creative dish you cook up next!
    nipa recently posted..IT’S YOURS- MY TIMEMy Profile

    Reply

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