Sri Lankan Sesame-Lime Fish Rice with Curry Leaves

About This Recipe

Sri Lanka's coastal communities have a deep, genuine fish-and-rice tradition, often built around coconut milk rice and a quick pan-fry or curry preparation for the day's catch, finished with lime and fresh curry leaves. This dish keeps that coastal Sri Lankan foundation — coconut rice, curry leaf tempering, lime — while adding a sesame-lime dressing, a modern touch not classically Sri Lankan but one that complements the coconut and curry leaf flavors already present. The rice cooks in coconut milk the traditional way, absorbing richness as it simmers, while a separate tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves in coconut oil is poured over the finished rice for aromatic crunch, a technique used constantly across Sri Lankan cooking. The fish is seasoned simply with turmeric and salt, a common Sri Lankan preparation, then pan-seared skin-side down until crisp. A quick sesame-lime dressing, whisked together and drizzled over the plated dish, adds a nutty brightness that rounds out the coconut richness without overwhelming the more traditional Sri Lankan flavors already at play.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 filletswhite fish(such as seer fish or snapper, skin on)
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 1.5 cupsbasmati or white rice(rinsed)
• 1.5 cupscoconut milk
• 1 cupwater
• 1 tspfine sea salt(plus more for the fish)
• 3 tbspcoconut oil
• 1 tspblack mustard seeds
• 10fresh curry leaves
• 2 tbsptoasted sesame seeds
• 1 tbspsesame oil
• 2 tbsplime juice
• 3 tbspfresh cilantro(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the coconut rice

   Combine rice, coconut milk, water and 1 tsp salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 15-18 minutes until tender.

2. 2

   Season and sear the fish

   Pat fish fillets dry, rub with turmeric and a pinch of salt. Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear skin-side down 4 minutes until crisp, then flip and cook 2 minutes more.

3. 3

   Temper the curry leaves

   In a separate small pan, heat 1 tbsp of the remaining coconut oil, add mustard seeds until they pop, then add curry leaves and fry 20 seconds until crisp and fragrant.

4. 4

   Make the sesame-lime dressing

   Whisk toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil and lime juice together with a pinch of salt.

5. 5

   Assemble

   Fluff the rice and divide among plates. Top with the seared fish and the crisp tempered curry leaves and mustard seeds.

6. 6

   Finish

   Drizzle with the sesame-lime dressing and scatter with fresh cilantro before serving.

Variations

• •

  Curry version: instead of pan-searing, simmer the fish directly in the coconut milk with turmeric and curry leaves for a more traditional Sri Lankan fish curry.

• •

  Shrimp swap: use large shrimp instead of fish fillets, searing them for just 2-3 minutes per side.

• •

  Extra heat: add a sliced fresh chile to the tempering step for a spicier finish.

Storage

Best eaten fresh, as pan-seared fish loses its crisp skin on reheating. Refrigerate rice and fish separately up to 1 day and reheat the fish gently in a hot dry skillet.

Frequently Asked Questions