Kurut with dried dill, served with fresh parsley Rehydrated Kurut Dip with Dill & Olive Oil Saucy Galbi served with sesame seeds and cilantro Braised Short Ribs (Galbi-jjim Style) Freshly baked pumpkin seed biscuits Roasted Pumpkin Seed Biscuits Spiced Honey Cake served Spiced Honey Cake Chocolate lava cake with gooey center Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes Roasted sausage served with mustard Oven-Roasted Sausages with Mustard Fideuà with cuttlefish served, garnished with fresh parsley Seafood Pasta with Cuttlefish (Fideuà) Haleem with vegetables served, rich, thick and spicy dish Vegetable Haleem Stew Blue cheese croissants served Blue Cheese Croissants Chocolate cream cake with chocolate glaze Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge Cake Tinda dahi with yogurt and cilantro, garnished with fresh lime leaf Creamy Yogurt Curried Squash (Tinda Masala) Spicy Biltong with lime slices and cilantro Spicy Biltong Salad with Lime Martabak Manis with condensed milk, chocolate, and banana Indonesian Sweet Pancake (Martabak Manis) Spicy Shakshuka with eggs and vegetables. Spicy Turkish Vegetable Shakshuka (Şakşuka) Frikadeller served with brown gravy and fresh parsley Danish Pork Meatballs (Frikadeller) with Gravy Creamy cauliflower and swiss chard soup served in a bowl Creamy Cauliflower & Swiss Chard Soup Strawberry cheesecake crepes plated Strawberry Cheesecake Crepes Oopsie bread low carb cloud bread fresh from the oven Oopsie Bread - Low Carb Cloud Bread Beef and yuba stir-fry with soy sauce and vegetables Beef & Yuba Stir-Fry Zeppole filled with sour cherry jam and dusted with sugar Sour Cherry Filled Italian Donuts Kurut with dried dill, served with fresh parsley Rehydrated Kurut Dip with Dill & Olive Oil Saucy Galbi served with sesame seeds and cilantro Braised Short Ribs (Galbi-jjim Style) Freshly baked pumpkin seed biscuits Roasted Pumpkin Seed Biscuits Spiced Honey Cake served Spiced Honey Cake Chocolate lava cake with gooey center Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes Roasted sausage served with mustard Oven-Roasted Sausages with Mustard Fideuà with cuttlefish served, garnished with fresh parsley Seafood Pasta with Cuttlefish (Fideuà) Haleem with vegetables served, rich, thick and spicy dish Vegetable Haleem Stew Blue cheese croissants served Blue Cheese Croissants Chocolate cream cake with chocolate glaze Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge Cake Tinda dahi with yogurt and cilantro, garnished with fresh lime leaf Creamy Yogurt Curried Squash (Tinda Masala) Spicy Biltong with lime slices and cilantro Spicy Biltong Salad with Lime Martabak Manis with condensed milk, chocolate, and banana Indonesian Sweet Pancake (Martabak Manis) Spicy Shakshuka with eggs and vegetables. Spicy Turkish Vegetable Shakshuka (Şakşuka) Frikadeller served with brown gravy and fresh parsley Danish Pork Meatballs (Frikadeller) with Gravy Creamy cauliflower and swiss chard soup served in a bowl Creamy Cauliflower & Swiss Chard Soup Strawberry cheesecake crepes plated Strawberry Cheesecake Crepes Oopsie bread low carb cloud bread fresh from the oven Oopsie Bread - Low Carb Cloud Bread Beef and yuba stir-fry with soy sauce and vegetables Beef & Yuba Stir-Fry Zeppole filled with sour cherry jam and dusted with sugar Sour Cherry Filled Italian Donuts
Kerala fish and pork curry served in a rich coconut base
Harmony of Indian spices and coconut milk with fish and pork

Kerala Fish and Pork Curry with Coconut

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
On the coast of Kerala, coconut and fish are daily staples, but the addition of pork is a Portuguese colonial legacy that gives this dish a unique 'surf and turf' character. The secret lies in coordinating the cooking times of the two meats and balancing the richness of the coconut milk with acidity (tomatoes).
🕒 Prep Time 20 mins
🍳 Cook Time 35 mins
⌛ Total Time 55 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 580 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Indian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Heavy-bottomed pan or wok (for even heat)
  • Sharp knife
  • Grater (for ginger)
  • Wooden spoon

Allergen Information

⚠️ Fish
⚠️ Tree Nut (Coconut)

Instructions

1 ✓

Prep the ingredients: finely chop the onion, dice the tomatoes, cut the pork into 3/4-inch cubes and the fish into 2-inch chunks. Lightly salt the fish and set aside.

Tip: Salting draws moisture out of the fish, keeping the flesh firmer during cooking (osmosis).
2 ✓

Heat the coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. Toss in the curry leaves, wait 10 seconds for them to pop, then add the onion. Sauté until translucent.

Tip: This method most effectively releases the oil-soluble flavors of the spices.
3 ✓

Stir in the crushed garlic and grated ginger, sautéing for another minute until fragrant but not browned.

Tip: Garlic has a high sugar content and burns quickly (turning bitter), so add it later than the onion.
4 ✓

Sprinkle in the powdered spices (turmeric, coriander, chili), stir quickly (30 seconds), then immediately add the diced pork. Toss thoroughly to coat with spices and sear until no longer pink.

Tip: We are just 'waking up' the dry spices with heat; if you fry them too long without liquid, they will burn.
5 ✓

Add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and simmer the pork for 15-20 minutes until almost tender and the tomatoes have broken down.

Tip: The acid from the tomatoes helps tenderize the meat fibers.
6 ✓

Pour in the coconut milk, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Taste and season generously with salt.

Tip: The sweetness of the coconut milk 'masks' salt, so it may need more than you think.
7 ✓

Lay the fish fillets into the sauce. From this point on, DO NOT stir with a spoon, only shake the pan gently! Simmer for 6-8 minutes until the fish turns opaque and flaky.

Tip: Fish muscle structure is very delicate and will break immediately if stirred.
8 ✓

Turn off the heat, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and let stand for 5 minutes before serving to let flavors meld.

Tip: Resting allows the temperature to equalize and the sauce texture to become silkier.

Recipe FAQ

Why did the fish fall apart?
You added it too early or stirred too vigorously. Fish only needs a few minutes in the hot sauce.
Can I substitute the pork?
Yes, but pork fat adds extra flavor. If omitting, use a bit more coconut oil.
The sauce is too thin.
Simmer longer without the lid before adding the fish, or use fuller-fat coconut milk.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb White Fish Fillet (Cod, Halibut, or Catfish)
  • 10 oz Pork Shoulder (diced into small cubes)
  • 1 can Full-Fat Coconut Milk (13.5 oz)
  • 1 pc Red Onion (finely chopped)
  • 3 cloves Garlic (crushed)
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger (grated)
  • 10 pcs Fresh Curry Leaves
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Ground Coriander
  • 1/2 tsp Chili Powder (to taste)
  • 2 pcs Tomatoes (peeled and diced)
  • 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 handful Fresh Cilantro