Goan Fish Curry

Step 1

Pat the fish dry with paper towels and place on a cutting board. Cut the fish crosswise (perpendicular to its length) into 4 equal chunks, each roughly 3 inches long. Set aside on a plate.

Step 2

Cut the onion in half lengthwise from root to tip, then place each flat side down and slice crosswise into thin half-rings about 1/4-inch thick.

Step 3

Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about pencil-tip dots—using a chef's knife or garlic mincer.

Step 4

Peel the ginger with a small spoon or vegetable peeler, then mince it the same size as the garlic until you have roughly 1 tablespoon of minced ginger.

Step 5

Cut the tomato in half, then place each half flat side down and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices, discarding any hard core.

Step 6

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

Step 7

Add the cumin seeds to the hot oil and stir constantly for 15 seconds until the kitchen smells strongly fragrant and toasted—this is blooming the spices.

Step 8

Add the onion slices to the skillet and stir once every 10 seconds for about 2 minutes, until the onion turns translucent and the edges turn light brown.

Step 9

Add the minced garlic and ginger to the skillet and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the mixture smells fragrant and no raw garlic smell remains.

Step 10

Stir in the red chili powder and cook, stirring continuously, for 10 seconds to remove any raw spice taste.

Step 11

Pour in the entire can of coconut milk, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to lift any stuck-on browned bits. Stir until smooth.

Step 12

Add the tomato slices and 0.5 teaspoon of salt, then stir gently to combine. Let the sauce come to a simmer over medium heat, about 2 minutes.

Step 13

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Slide the fish chunks gently into the simmering sauce in a single layer, spacing them so they do not touch.

Step 14

Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fish is opaque white throughout when you peek inside the thickest chunk—it should flake apart easily.

Step 15

Remove the skillet from heat. Squeeze the lime juice over the curry and taste. Add a small pinch more salt and pepper if needed.

Step 16

Divide the curry between two bowls, arranging one fish chunk and sauce in each. Serve immediately with steamed rice or flatbread on the side.