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Today on the destination dishes series we are turning our attention to Sri Lanka with a Sri Lankan fish curry recipe.
In this ongoing food series, you’ll learn how to cook some of my favourite dishes from destinations around the world.
Sri Lanka is located in the Indian Ocean between Eastern and Western culture, which heavily influences its cuisine.
The small island of Sri Lankan has food that is similar to South Indian food but with an eclectic twist.
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Sri Lanka food culture
Sri Lankan dishes tend to be spicy, seafood-heavy and also packed full of fresh produce and full flavours.
Typical Sri lankan dishes include kottu, dhal curry, hoppers, Kale mallung and fish curry.
Eating your way around Sri Lanka is a brilliant way to discover this beautiful small Island. The catch is that it can be difficult to find authentic dishes in the more popular locations.
Keen to please visitors, many restaurants and cafes feature tourist menus which do not compare to traditional Sri Lankan dishes.
Read my bumper guide to Sri Lanka, to discover some of the best foodie places in the country.
Making Sri Lankan Fish Curry
Fish curry was one of my favourite dishes when visiting Sri Lanka. I loved the spicy and fragrant tastes on this healthy and zesty dish.
If you choose your restaurant carefully when visiting the coast, many Sri Lankan fish curries will be prepared from freshly caught fish. It honestly makes such a difference to the flavour.
There are lots of different versions of Sri Lanka fish curry and each venue will have its own take on this classic Sri Lankan dish. My personal favourite is a fish curry that contains coconut milk.

Sri Lankan fish curry recipe
As I said, there can be a few variations on this dish. If you are a fan of super spicy dishes you can make fish curry with extra chilli and no coconut milk.
My version of Sri Lanka fish curry is a milder, aromatic dish that aims to bring a little taste of Sri Lanka home.
In this recipe, I have used firm white fish mixed with ground spices, coconut milk, fish stock and fresh herbs to try and make it a zingy and tasty evening meal.
Here is my personal take on an easy Sri Lankan fish curry, created using simple to follow steps.
Details
4 servings
20 minutes
30 minutes
450 calories approx
Ingredients
4 firm and skinless white fish fillets
1 large onion
2 fresh chillies chopped
200ml fish stock
400ml light coconut milk
3 vine tomatoes chopped
2 crushed cloves garlic
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp brown mustard seeds
Fresh corriander chopped
1 lime

Directions
- Heat a casserole pan with olive oil and gently cook onions on the hob until slightly golden.
- Then add garlic, chilli, cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric, ginger paste and gently cook on a low to medium heat.
- Add the fish stock, coconut milk and tomatoes.
- Add the fish fillets to the curry sauce and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Plate up and squuze lime juice over the curry sauce and add fresh corriander.
- Serve with basmatic rice and steamed green vegetables.

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Destination dishes series

Did you enjoy making this international dish? Why not check out some of the other destination dishes in the series?
I am recreating some of my favourite and simple to make recipes from around the world using easy to follow steps. Why not try and bring a taste of the world to your home?
- Dublin Coddle
- Japanese Noodle Soup
- Spanish Chicken Stew
- Finnish Salmon Soup
- Welsh Roast lamb
- New York cheesecake recipe
Ready to try the destination dishes Sri Lankan cheesecake recipe? Let me know in the comments how yours turns out?
Printable recipe card Sri Lanka Fish curry
Sri Lankan fish curry recipe | Destination Dishes series
Course: DinnerCuisine: Sri LankanDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes30
minutes450
kcalEasy to make Sri Lanka fish curry using firm white fish mixed with ground spices, coconut milk, fish stock and fresh herbs to bring a zesty taste of Sri Lanka to your home.
Ingredients
4 firm and skinless white fish fillets
1 large onion
2 fresh chillies chopped
200ml fish stock
400ml light coconut milk
3 vine tomatoes chopped
2 crushed cloves garlic
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp brown mustard seeds
Fresh coriander chopped
1 lime
Directions
- Heat a casserole pan with olive oil and gently cook onions on the hob until slightly golden.
- Then add garlic, chilli, cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric, ginger paste and gently cook on a low to medium heat.
- Add the fish stock, coconut milk and tomatoes.
- Add the fish fillets to the curry sauce and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Plate up and squuze lime juice over the curry sauce and add fresh corriander.
- Serve with basmatic rice and steamed green vegetables.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Serve with Tiger beer or German, Austrian, Australian or New Zealand riesling wine.
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