Meen Moilee

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 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.

   300 g firm white fish fillets, cut into large pieces1 tsp ground turmeric1 tsp fine salt1/4 tsp black pepper
2. 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.

   120 g onion, thinly sliced15 g ginger, julienned2 cloves garlic, finely sliced2 green chilies, slit lengthwise10 leaves curry leaves
3. 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.

   1 tbsp coconut oil120 g onion, thinly sliced15 g ginger, julienned2 cloves garlic, finely sliced2 green chilies, slit lengthwise10 leaves curry leaves
4. 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.

   1/2 tsp ground turmeric200 ml thin coconut milk50 ml water
5. 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.

   300 g firm white fish fillets, cut into large pieces
6. 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.

   200 ml thick coconut milk1/4 tsp fine salt
7. 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.

   1 tsp lime juice1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly torn

Origin & History

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.