Pan Fried Curried Cod

Curried cod is delightfully simple to make, a little curry powder, salt & curry leaves are all you need before you pan fry the fish in ghee.

Not only is this recipe made from a few ingredients, but it is also quick, with a prep time of 20 minutes and a cooking time of under 10 minutes!

Pan Fried Indian Spiced Cod

I have plenty of Indian-inspired fish curry recipes on my site, that range from the fairly traditional macher jhol (cod) to my Goan-influenced mackerel curry to dishes that are more “reimagined”, like my sea bass curry and fun fish finger curry.

This curried cod fillet recipe is a little different, rather than being cooked in a sauce, it is pan-fried in ghee after being coated in a stupidly easy dry rub.

When I say stupidly easy… it’s curry powder (buy something nice) and salt, it sits on the fish for 15 minutes. Try not to skip this step, the salt will firm up the fish a little and give it a lovely texture. You could leave it on for as long as an hour, but try not to go longer.

Then the cod is pan-fried in ghee that is flavoured with curry leaves and it gets a lovely crispy skin.

And that is it, seriously simple, wonderfully tasty, and when it comes to cooking, that is pretty much a “holy grail”!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different type of fish?

Yes, this recipe works perfectly well (as written) with any meaty white fish. Everything from haddock to hake and pollock to coley if you wanted to save a few pennies.

Can I use cod loin?

Yes, this is delicious, made with cod loin. Depending on the thickness of the fish, you may need to cook the fish for an extra minute or two in total.

What curry powder should I use?

Use whatever you have at home, there is no reason to buy something new! I tend to use a mild curry powder because I don’t want to overwhelm the flavour of the fish.

If you are buying curry powder, go for a small packet/jar unless you use it often. Once you open the pack, the flavours will change quite rapidly, with different spices becoming much more muted the longer they sit.

Can I use butter or oil instead of ghee?

Yes, butter is better than oil in this recipe because I like to drizzle a little over when I serve the fish. But, if you are using butter, add a splash of oil to stop the solids from burning.

Why do you use the curry leaves?

They add a wonderful aroma to the ghee, which shines through when you serve it over the fish. Feel free to omit curry leaves if you cannot get them; the recipe still tastes wonderful.

Serving Suggestions

I’ve served this beautifully simple pan-fried curried cod fillet with some jeera aloo (cumin potatoes) and a tomato and red onion salad. The salad is essentially my kachumber salad without any cucumber, and cut into strips rather than chunks.

This recipe would work just as well with other Indian-influenced potato dishes like my roast Bombay potatoes, masala chips or aloo methi (fenugreek potatoes).

I’ve even served this with some air fryer chips and (whisper it quietly) my recipe for masala baked beans!

The fish is beautifully moist, and as a result, this recipe doesn’t “need” a sauce, but if you want one, I would recommend a coriander chutney or even some mango chutney if you like a little sweetness.

Equipment Used

I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/Stovetop.
• 30cm or 12″ frying pan.
• Kitchen Knife.
• Chopping board.
• Fish slice or spatula.
• A combination of weighing scales and measuring spoons.