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Fish Suruwa (Fijian Fish Curry)

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A recipe for Fish Suruwa (Fijian Fish Curry)! Pieces of firm white fish are simmered in a spiced coconut mixture for a quick and flavorful meal.

Fish Suruwa (Fijian Fish Curry) in a wooden bowl with rice.

Four years of blogging and I am finally posting a fish recipe! I didn’t grow up eating much fish, so it has always intimidated me a bit.

This Fish Suruwa from Fiji is perfect for those like me who don’t have a lot of experience working with seafood. From beginning to end, the entire process takes about 30 minutes to create an incredibly easy and flavorful meal.

The Indian influence on Fijian cuisine is particularly prominent in dishes such as this Fish Suruwa. Onions, chilies, spices (garam masala, turmeric, cumin), and tomatoes are simmered to create the curry base for the fish and the addition of coconut milk gives a creamy texture.

Serve it warm from the stove with steamed white rice (I used jasmine) and top with a sprinkling of freshly chopped cilantro.

Aerial view of Fish Suruwa (Fijian Fish Curry) in a silver pan next to a bowl of rice.

A Few Tips

Some recipes I came across included coconut milk as the liquid for the curry while others like Clever Cooking used water.

I also found variations with the spices used. Others also included curry leaves, curry powder, and/or fresh ginger. 

Some placed the firm fish fillets whole in the pan like I did, while others chopped the fish into bite size pieces. After heating briefly on each side, simmer the fish in the coconut milk just until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

I simmered the tomatoes for about 15 minutes to help break them down. Use a spoon or potato masher to help create a smoother texture if desired.

Looking for more seafood recipes?

Try my:

Fish Suruwa (Fijian Fish Curry) in a silver pan with a bowl of rice in the background.

Fish Suruwa (Fijian Fish Curry) Recipe

Adapted from Food.com and Clever Cooking

Fish Suruwa (Fijian Fish Curry) in a wooden bowl with rice.
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5 from 4 votes

Fish Suruwa (Fijian Fish Curry)

A recipe for Fish Suruwa (Fijian Fish Curry)! Pieces of firm white fish are simmered in a spiced coconut mixture for a quick and flavorful meal.
Course Main
Cuisine Fijian
Keyword coconut, coconut milk, curry, Fiji, Fijian, fish, seafood
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons (44 milliliters) vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion peeled and diced
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  • 2 long red chilies stems and seeds removed, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground toasted cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 medium tomatoes finely diced
  • 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) firm white fish
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 2/3 cups (400 ml) coconut milk
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly chopped cilantro for garnish
  • Steamed white rice for serving

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, drizzle the oil over medium heat.
  • Once heated, add the onion and cinnamon stick. Cook until the onion begins to soften, then mix in the garlic and chilies. Cook until just fragrant and stir in the garam masala, cumin, and turmeric.
  • Once fragrant, add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break down, about 15 minutes.
  • Push in the fish pieces around the tomato mixture to the bottom of the pan and drizzle the lemon juice over the top. Cook for a couple of minutes and flip the fish to the other side.
  • Gently mix in the coconut milk and simmer just until the fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  • Season to taste with salt and serve immediately with rice and cilantro.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Lisa | Garlic & Zest

    I love curry — especially with coconut milk in it — and we eat so much fish that I’m always looking for something new to make with it! This recipe fits the bill, beautifully!

    Reply

  4. Sara | Belly Rumbles

    I do love the influence of Indian cooking on the Fijian cuisine. With the amazing seafood in Fiji, some spice is a lovely alternative. You curry looks lovely, and would seriously whisk me away to a culinary holiday.

    Reply

  9. Bula - Fiji

    This hits the spot on a cold wintery day in Canada. Hehe, As Fijians, We Approve!! A heartfelt thank you for the mouth-watering-high definition pictures and the authentic recipe. God Bless you and your wonderful family 🙂
    – Now I have a meal idea for tonight!!

    Reply

  11. Kristin

    During this Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve taken to making a main dish each week, from a different country, with the stipulation that they have to be one of the national dishes, or something that country is known for. We also started with the letter “A”, and have made our way tonight, to the letter “F”. This curry was absolutely amazing! Even the teen who doesn’t like fish said we could make it again. We paired it with steamed white rice & some Naan, and oh boy, so yummy! Thanks for this simple & quick dish, and for helping us to complete the letter F 🙂

    Reply

  13. KB

    I really enjoyed the flavour, but found that mine turned out rather liquidy – is that right, or should I have simmered for longer to reduce it?

    Reply

  16. annette maree sullivan

    5 stars
    love this curry I doubled the spices and added a kafir lime leaves and some ginger in as well. I didn’t have coconut milk, so I used the coconut cream. I also added some butternut pumpkin and incorporated this in with the spices. I made this with tiger prawns and the dish was superb. Note: Prawns don’t need as long as fish only for three minutes at the end and let the dish rest of heat for about 5 minutes. Yummy

    Reply

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