Thicker Sauce For Keralan Fish Curry

Asked by Mjnoliver. Answered on 5th March 2016

Full question

Have just made the Keralan Fish Curry. My sauce seems quite thin though - is this how it is supposed to be or should I try to thicken it up a little? What would you recommend adding if I wanted a thicker sauce?

Our answer

Nigella's Keralan Fish Curry (from NIGELLA SUMMER and on the Nigella website here) has a fairly thin, broth-like sauce made from coconut milk, tamarind and fish stock. The fish is poached gently in this sauce bafore the curry is served (the accompanying photograph shows the curry being served in bowls).

If you prefer a slightly thicker sauce then there are two ways you can thicken it. The first would be to reduce the sauce down by boiling, however it is not ideal in this recipe as it may not leave enough sauce to cook the fish in. The second way would be to use a thickener and cornflour (cornstarch) is easiest to use in this recipe. At the end of step 3 add 2 teaspoons of cornflour mixed with 2 teaspoons of water and bring the sauce to the boil, then simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens slighty. If the sauce is still too thin then add another teaspoon of cornflour in the same way. The sauce needs to simmer for the flour to thicken and "cook out", so get the desired consistency before adding the fish as the sauce should not boil once the fish has been added.