Quick Sri Lankan Fish and Prawn Curry

This quick Sri Lankan fish and prawn curry is a fragrant, deeply flavoured seafood curry that comes together in under 30 minutes. Snapper fillets and green prawns are simmered in a golden coconut cream broth seasoned with curry leaves, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander and cinnamon, with tamarind paste and brown sugar adding a characteristic sweet-sour depth that is unmistakably Sri Lankan. Finished with fresh tomato and baby spinach and topped with crispy fried curry leaves, this is a curry that looks and tastes extraordinary.

At around $14 per serve and genuinely ready in under 30 minutes, this is a restaurant-worthy seafood curry that any home cook can confidently pull off on a weeknight.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Fragrant Sri Lankan spice blend with curry leaves and whole spices
• Tamarind and brown sugar give the sauce a beautiful sweet-sour depth
• Ready in under 30 minutes
• Both snapper and prawns in the one curry
• Crispy fried curry leaf garnish is a stunning finishing touch
• Great value at around $14 per serve

Why make Sri Lankan fish curry?

Sri Lankan seafood curry is distinct from Indian or Thai curries in its use of whole spices like fennel seeds, mustard seeds and a cinnamon stick fried in oil at the start, which release their essential oils and create a deeply aromatic base. Fresh curry leaves are another defining ingredient — they add an irreplaceable citrusy, slightly earthy flavour that no dried substitute can replicate.

The combination of tamarind paste and brown sugar is what gives Sri Lankan curries their signature flavour — a complex sweet-sour balance that sits alongside the coconut cream in a way that is warm, rich and completely addictive. Once you’ve cooked with fresh curry leaves and tamarind together, you’ll understand why this cuisine has such a devoted following.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Servings4

Curry base

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 brown onion, thinly sliced
• 12 fresh curry leaves, plus extra sprigs to garnish
• 2 long green chillies, sliced (divided)
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 can (400ml) coconut cream
• ½ cup chicken stock

Seafood and vegetables

• 500 g boneless snapper fillets with skin, halved
• 250 g peeled green prawns, tails intact
• 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 60 g baby spinach

To serve

• Extra fresh curry leaf sprigs, fried until crisp
• Steamed basmati rice

Safety note: When frying the curry leaf sprigs for the garnish, stand back — fresh curry leaves in hot oil will splatter. Use a splatter guard if you have one, or hold the pan lid as a shield. The frying takes only 30 seconds and is well worth the extra step for the stunning crispy garnish.

How to make quick Sri Lankan fish and prawn curry

Step 1: Build the spiced base

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion, curry leaves and half the sliced green chilli. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion just softens.

Add the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, ground turmeric, ground coriander and cinnamon stick. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the spices are fragrant.

Step 2: Make the coconut broth and cook the seafood

Add the tamarind paste, brown sugar, coconut cream and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer. Add the snapper fillets, cover and cook for 3 minutes or until almost cooked through.

Add the prawns and tomato wedges. Cook uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes or until the seafood is cooked through. Stir in the baby spinach and allow to wilt.

Step 3: Fry the curry leaf garnish

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Carefully add the extra curry leaf sprigs — stand back as the oil will splatter. Fry for 30 seconds or until crisp. Drain on paper towel.

Step 4: Serve

Top the curry with the remaining sliced green chilli and the crispy fried curry leaves. Serve immediately with steamed basmati rice.

Tips for best results

• Use fresh curry leaves — dried curry leaves are a poor substitute and won’t deliver the same fragrance
• Toast the whole spices until fragrant before adding the liquid — this releases their essential oils for maximum flavour
• Add the snapper first since it takes slightly longer than the prawns — they go in 3 minutes later
• Don’t overcook the seafood — snapper and prawns cook quickly and continue cooking in the residual heat of the sauce
• Stand well back when frying the curry leaves — the splattering is brief but can be dramatic
• Serve with warm basmati rice to soak up the fragrant coconut broth

Serving suggestions

This Sri Lankan fish and prawn curry pairs beautifully with:

• Steamed basmati or jasmine rice
• Warm roti or naan bread for scooping
• A cooling raita of yoghurt, cucumber and mint
• Mango chutney or lime pickle on the side
• A cold Indian lager or sparkling water with lime

Final thoughts

This quick Sri Lankan fish and prawn curry is proof that genuinely great curry doesn’t need to simmer for hours. The fragrant whole spices, the sweet-sour tamarind coconut broth, the tender snapper and prawns and that irresistible crispy curry leaf garnish come together in under 30 minutes to produce a dish that is far more complex and exciting than the time invested would suggest.

At $14 per serve this is an accessible and impressive weeknight dinner that introduces the beautiful, distinctive flavours of Sri Lankan cooking to any table. Once you’ve made it, the combination of tamarind, coconut cream and fresh curry leaves will become a flavour combination you’ll crave again and again.