Massaman curry sauce is one of the most comforting flavours on the planet, and served this way – with pan fried tilapia and potatoes, it takes comfort food to the absolute max.
This sauce is deceptively simple to make and packs a huge punch. The tilapia and potatoes are both fried and give a great richness to the dish.
You can have the whole dish ready in 20 minutes, and it would be very easy to pack this out for a crowd too – add a couple of side dishes (maybe white rice and sesame oil broccoli) and it will go a lot further.
Tilapia is a (reasonably) cheap and tasty fish that works very well in curry sauces like this. Give it a go – it’s fantastic!
Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations
- Onion, garlic, ginger, chilli – these fresh ingredients form the base of your curry paste.
- Ground cinnamon and ground coriander – these spices give the curry sauce its fragrant flavour.
- Tomato paste and coconut milk – these form the liquid element of your curry, adding sharpness and sweetness.
- Fish – I used tilapia fillets, but any white fish fillets will work (e.g. cod or sea bass).
- Potatoes – the fried potatoes add a nice texture variation. You can also add other vegetables to the finished dish to make a complete meal – spinach, tender stem broccoli or asparagus would be nice.
Top Tips
- Frying the potatoes When you are frying the potatoes, turn them regularly to make sure that they cook evenly.
- Making the curry sauce You can leave the curry sauce chunky, if you prefer, rather than blending it.
- Variation You can also cook the fish in the curry sauce. Cut the fillets into chunks (discarding the skin) and add to the curry sauce when you add the coconut milk:l. Let the fish simmer in the sauce for 10 minutes.
Pan Fried Tilapia with Massaman Sauce and Potatoes
Fish fillets and fried potatoes in a fragrant, warming massaman curry sauce.
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ onion
- 1 inch ginger
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 green chilli
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 300 ml coconut milk
- 200 grams baby potatoes
- 4 tilapia fillets
Instructions
- Start by preparing your potatoes. Cut them into 0.5cm slices (no need to peel), discarding the ends. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium and add the potatoes. Cook for 20 minutes until golden, turning regularly.
- Now, make the curry. Peel and finely dice the onion, garlic and ginger. Finely chop the chilli. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a saucepan and add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli. Cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the cinnamon and coriander then the tomato paste. Stir, then add the coconut milk. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, then take off the heat and blend.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the fish, skin side down, and cook for 4 minutes until the skin is crisp. Flip and cook flesh side down for another minute. Depending on the thickness of your fish, you might need to cook for a little longer until it is opaque.
- When the potatoes are cooked, drain them on some kitchen roll. To plate up, ladle the curry sauce into two bowls. Top with the potatoes and fish.
More Thai style recipes to enjoy:
- Thai Coconut Mussels
- Vegetarian Pad Thai
- Thai Fish Curry
- Thai Noodle Soup
- Super Easy Pad Thai
- Quick and Easy Tom Kha Soup
- 15 Minute Beef Penang Curry
- Pan Fried Salmon with Coconut Noodle Broth
- Easy Thai Red Chicken Curry
- Thai Green Noodle Soup with Pan Fried Sea Bass
- Asparagus and Tofu Vegan Pad Thai
