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Meen Moilee

Name: Meen Moilee
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 300 g firm white fish fillets, cut into large pieces; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp fine salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp coconut oil; 120 g onion, thinly sliced; 15 g ginger, julienned; 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced; 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise; 10 leaves curry leaves; 1/2 tsp ground turmeric; 200 ml thin coconut milk; 200 ml thick coconut milk; 50 ml water; 1 tsp lime juice; 1/4 tsp fine salt; 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly torn

Meen Moilee is a delicate Kerala fish curry with tender pieces of fish poached in a fragrant coconut milk sauce tinted gold with turmeric. Soft onions, ginger, green chili, and curry leaves give it a fresh, aromatic character that is mild, soothing, and deeply satisfying.

30 min

2 servings

420 kcal

Indian

Ingredients

Fish and seasoning

300 gfirm white fish fillets, cut into large pieces
1 tspground turmeric
1 tspfine salt
1/4 tspblack pepper

Moilee base

1 tbspcoconut oil
120 gonion, thinly sliced
15 gginger, julienned
2 clovesgarlic, finely sliced
2green chilies, slit lengthwise
10 leavescurry leaves
1/2 tspground turmeric
200 mlthin coconut milk
200 mlthick coconut milk
50 mlwater

Finish

1 tsplime juice
1/4 tspfine salt
1 tbspfresh coriander leaves, roughly torn

Instructions

1
Pat the fish dry and cut into 4 large serving pieces if needed. Season it gently with the ground turmeric, fine salt, and black pepper. Let it sit while you prepare the aromatics; this brief stand lightly seasons the fish without making it salty.
2
Slice the onion thinly, julienne the ginger, slice the garlic, slit the green chilies, and keep the curry leaves ready. Thin slicing helps the onion soften quickly, which keeps the dish within the cooking time.
3
Heat the coconut oil in a wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned. Stir in the ginger, garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4
Add the ground turmeric, then immediately pour in the thin coconut milk and water. Stir well, scraping the pan so the turmeric disperses evenly. Bring to a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.
5
Lay the fish pieces into the simmering sauce in a single layer. Cover and poach gently for 5-6 minutes, turning once if needed, until the fish is just cooked through and flakes easily. Avoid vigorous stirring so the pieces stay intact.
6
Lower the heat to very low and stir in the thick coconut milk and the remaining fine salt. Warm gently for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is silky and lightly steaming; do not boil after adding the thick coconut milk, or it may split.
7
Turn off the heat and finish with lime juice and fresh coriander leaves. Let the curry rest for 2 minutes so the flavors settle, then spoon the sauce over the fish and serve hot.

Nutrition per serving

420 kcal

Calories

34g

Protein

11g

Carbs

28g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•Good fish choices for Meen Moilee are cod, haddock, pollock, sea bass, or snapper; use a firm fish that will not fall apart easily.
•For a milder curry, leave the green chilies whole and remove them before serving; for more heat, lightly crush them before adding.
•Serve with appam, idiyappam, or plain steamed rice to soak up the coconut sauce.
•If your coconut milk is only one thickness, use 300 ml coconut milk plus 150 ml water total; add most at first and the last splash at the end.

Background

Meen Moilee is a classic dish from Kerala's coastal cooking, where fish and coconut are everyday staples. The curry is known for its gentle heat and golden coconut sauce, and it reflects the influence of Kerala's historic spice trade and its long Christian and coastal culinary traditions.

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