Vaw, or golden eel, isn’t something every fish market carries. It’s more of an Indian, East Indian and Goan household staple that shows up when the catch is good. Its firm, mild flesh holds together well in a curry, soaking up the fresh masala without breaking apart the way more delicate fish can. By the way, if you’re looking for vam fish, it’s the same thingy. Our Goan friends call the eel fish vam, while we East Indians call it vaw.
The best way to eat it is fried or in a khujit curry. What is a khujit curry, you ask? A khujit is a green curry of fresh masala that can be made with palla/ilish (hilsa), pomfrets, vaw (golden eel), surmai (kingfish), halwa (black pomfrets) or ghol (gold fish).
What is fresh masala? Fresh masala is our local East Indian term used for the mixture of freshly ground green chillies, garlic and ginger. Usually freshly ground coconut or coconut juice is added along with other spices.
East Indian Eel Curry (Vaw Khujit)
Click the stars to add your rating! Left you don’t like it, right you love it!
Ingredients
- 1 Vaw Fish (Golden Eel)
- 500 ml Water
- 1 Onions or 2 Spring Onions
- 6 Green Chillies – Fresh
- 1 inch Ginger
- 6 Garlic Cloves or Garlic Flakes
- 200 ml Coconut Milk
- 2 Tablespoons Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 0.5 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Vinegar or 1 tsp Tamarind soaked in Water
- 1 Tablespoon Rice Flour Optional
- 2 Tablespoons Oil
- 2 teaspoons Salt
Instructions
- Cut the onions or spring onions along with the spring onion greens.
- Cut the chillies, ginger and garlic in slivers. Soak the tamarind in water and set aside. (Skip this if using vinegar.)
- Add oil to a pot and fry the onions, chillies, ginger and garlic for 2 minutes.
- Next, add the cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder along with water and cook a little.
- Then add the coconut milk, salt and fish and stir for a few minutes.
- When it starts to boil, add the vinegar or tamarind juice and allow to cook till done.
Please click to rate the recipe! Left you don’t like it, right you love it!
Notes
- You can replace the coriander powder, cumin powder, and turmeric powder with 2.5 tablespoons of Khujit masala.
- Can also be made with pomfret, surmai, halwa, palla or ghol.
Nutrition (Per Serving)
Disclaimer: Nutrition Information per serving is estimated by a third party software based on the ingredients used, and is for informational purposes only. It will vary from product to product, based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients. Please consult the package labels of the ingredients you use, or chat with your dietician for specific details.
This printable recipe card is for home use only. For more recipes head over to AbbysHearth.comOther Recipes to Try
- How To Fry Kingfish Indian-Style?
- Fried Nevties
- Duck Moile Curry
- Beef Bones Stew
- Tongue Roast with dried fruit
Heya, I’m Abby! I’m a Gourmand Award-winning cookbook author and East Indian from Bombay, India. This blog is all about faith, food, and culture – from East Indian recipes to home, DIY, and spending time in the Word. Find out more about me here!