This is an easy, flavorful, and festive dish — I never get tired of it. It’s inspired by a recipe by Blanche Vaughan that appeared in the English magazine House & Garden a couple of years ago. You can prepare it in two stages.
The monkfish curry, madagascan way
16 November 2025
: 4
: 30 min
: 55 min
: 1 hr 25 min
: EASY
Madagascan cuisine is very aromatic, simple, flavorful, and generally not very spicy. Most of this recipe can be prepare in advance.
Ingredients
- 700 g (about 1½ lb) monkfish, skin and central bone removed, cut into chunks
- 2 red onions
- 40 g (about 1½ oz) grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 300 g (about 10 oz) peeled and diced sweet potato
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 can (400 g / 14 oz) peeled tomatoes
- 1 can (400 ml / 14 oz) coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons olive oil2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Fleur de sel (or sea salt)
- A generous pinch of cracked black pepper
- 1 lemon
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
- Step 1 Sauté the finely chopped onions and garlic in a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Step 2 Add salt, pepper, chili flakes, and grated ginger, stirring until lightly golden. Add the sweet potato pieces along with all the spices, salt, and pepper, then reduce the heat. Stir well — the mixture should not brown. Next, add the tomatoes followed by the coconut milk. Let simmer gently until the sweet potatoes are tender. Check seasoning, then set aside while you prepare the rice.
- Step 3 A few minutes before serving, reheat the curry. Season the monkfish pieces lightly with salt and pepper, then add them to the pot. The cooking time is short — about 5 minutes over medium heat once it begins to simmer again. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve topped with chopped cilantro, alongside hot rice and lemon wedges.
Good to know!
