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What to eat in India? Top 12 Indian Fish Dishes

Last update: Thu Feb 13 2025
Top 12 Indian Fish Dishes
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01

Freshwater Fish Dish

WEST BENGAL, India and  one more country
4.4
Shorshe ilish
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Shorshe ilish is a traditional dish that employs ilish fish as its star ingredient. Sliced ilish is slowly simmered in a thick broth consisting of ground mustard seeds and green chili peppers, as well as mustard oil and other spices such as turmeric, cumin, and red chili powder.


The variation of the dish may include the addition of milk or yogurt (doi). This hearty fish dish is usually served with steamed rice on the side.

02
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Ambot tik is a traditional fish curry originating from Goa. Ambot means sour, and tik means spicy, so this curry should always be sour-and-spicy. The dish is usually made with saltwater fish, onions, kokum petals, oil, salt, and a masala paste consisting of Kashmiri chillis, ginger, garlic, onions, tomatoes, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and tamarind.


The hot peppers and tamarind are soaked in water, and then ground and mixed with the other ingredients in a masala paste. The onions and the masala are sautéed in oil, and the fish is cut into pieces and added to the pot, along with water. The curry is simmered over medium heat for about ten minutes, and the heat is then switched off. 
03
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Malabar fish curry or Kerala fish curry is a traditional dish originating from Malabar, Kerala. The curry is typically made with fish such as seer, sea bass, tilapia, or sardines. Other ingredients include onions, tomatoes, hot chili peppers, chili powder, curry leaves, coriander, turmeric, garlic, fenugreek, tamarind, oil, and coconut milk.


The coconut milk gives the curry its rich creaminess, and it's flavored with deep and earthy Indian spices such as fried curry leaves and tamarind. The fish is added to the boiling curry sauce and it's simmered until the fish is fully cooked. Once done, this fish curry is usually served hot with a bowl of basmati rice or naan on the side.

04
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Amritsari fish is a traditional fish dish and a popular street food originating from Amritsari. It’s usually made with a combination of freshwater fish, ginger-garlic paste, ajwain, red chili powder, garam masala, amchur mango powder, lemon juice, salt, gram flour, turmeric, and oil.


The fish is coated with a mixture of gram flour, spices, lemon juice, and curd. Once coated, it’s fried in hot oil until golden and crisp. Amritsari fish is then served piping hot, and it’s enjoyed on its own.

05

Stew

KERALA, India
3.1
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Nadan meen curry is a traditional fish curry typical of the Kerala region in India, "nadan" translating to rustic or traditional, and "meen" meaning fish in Malayalam, the local language. This curry is recognized for its robust flavors, attributed to the luscious combination of coconut milk and a variety of spices like fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, and curry leaves, coupled with the tangy presence of tamarind or kokum.


The fish, usually a type that's local and fresh, is simmered gently in this rich, aromatic gravy until it's cooked to perfection. Often, slices of green mango are added for an extra layer of tartness, complementing the spicy, creamy nature of the curry. 
06
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Tandoori pomfret is a traditional dish prepared with pomfret, a fish that’s popular in India’s coastal regions such as Maharashtra, Goa, and Chennai. The pomfret is washed, the inner organs are removed, and it’s then marinated in a combination of lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, and salt.


After a few minutes of marinating, it’s mixed with red chili paste, garam masala spices, dahi, and turmeric. The fish is then cooked in a tandoor oven, and it’s usually served as an appetizer with green chutneys, lemon wedges, and onion slices. 
07
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Karimeen pollichathu is a dish of heavily seasoned cichlid fish that's been fried, enveloped in masala (a mixture of spices and fresh ingredients), and wrapped in banana leaves to make a packet and then shortly pan-fried or grilled. The dish comes from the Indian state Kerala, which is naturally so as the main ingredient, the green chromide (or pearl sport), a type of cichlid fish, is native to the region.


The preparation starts with shortly marinating the fish in a paste of spices, such as turmeric, chili powder, pepper, salt, and lime juice, and then shallow-frying it on both sides in coconut oil. While the fish marinates and fries, masala is prepared with fresh ingredients and spices, most commonly tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, green chili peppers, turmeric, and vinegar. 
08

Stew

EASTERN INDIA, India and  one more country
n/a
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Macher jhol is a Bengali and Odia spicy fish stew, similar to curry. It consists of chunks or slices of fish that are slowly simmered in a flavorful broth that is usually enriched with onions, turmeric, chili peppers, ginger-garlic paste, coriander, nigella seeds, cumin, and mustard seeds.


The most common fish varieties used in the dish include ilish (hilsa), rohu, and bhakura (catla), and the dish often incorporates potatoes, as well as tomatoes or tomato purée. Macher jhol is usually served with rice, and it is occasionally garnished with coriander leaves.

09
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Anchovy 65 or Nethili 65 is a traditional dish originating from Tamil Nadu. The dish consists of anchovies that are fried until crunchy. The anchovies are usually marinated in a mix of yogurt, lemon juice, chili powder, garam masala, black pepper, turmeric, and rice flour before they're fried in hot oil.


The dish is served as an appetizer or an evening snack on weekends. It's always served hot, ideally with lemon wedges on the side.

10
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Bombil fry, also known as Bombay duck fry, is a popular Maharashtrian dish from the western coast of India, particularly Mumbai. Bombil is the Marathi name for the Bombay duck fish, which is not a duck but actually a type of lizardfish.


This thin, elongate fish is abundant in the Arabian Sea and especially prolific in the waters around Mumbai. The "fry" part of Bombil fry involves marinating the fish in a combination of semolina (rava) and spices like turmeric, red chili powder, and occasionally garlic-ginger paste, before deep frying it until it's crispy and golden brown. 
11
12
Stew
ASSAM, India
n/a

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Indian Fish Dishes