How much cooking time?

55 min — 30 min prep, 25 min cooking.

Mus Kavaab (Lakshadweep-Mappila Spiced Tuna Coconut Curry)

Name: Mus Kavaab (Lakshadweep-Mappila Spiced Tuna Coconut Curry)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Lakshadweep Indian
Ingredients: 100g tomato ripe; 500g Tuna; 8g green chillies; 60g Fresh Coconut; 6g salt; 4g red chilli; 200g coconut milk; 2g cumin powder; 1g Cloves; 1g Cardamom; 4g coriander powder; 2g turmeric root; 25g Sunflower Oil; 200g onion; 2g Curry Leaves; 2g dry red chillies; 12g ginger garlic paste

Authentic Lakshadweep signature dish — fresh tuna chunks marinated in a coconut-spice paste (turmeric, chilli, coriander, cloves, cardamom) then simmered with browned onions, tomato, ginger-garlic, green chillies, and curry leaves in a coconut-milk gravy. 'Mus' = fish, 'Kavaab' = curry in the Mahl/Malayalam-Lakshadweep dialect. Influenced by Malabar (Kerala Mappila) cuisine since Lakshadweep islands are off Kerala coast. Served with steamed rice or coconut rice. Distinct from Kerala fish moilee (Mus Kavaab is spicier, uses tomato, no fenugreek).

Time 55 min · Serves 4 · 519 kcal · Lakshadweep

Ingredients

Main

tomato ripe — 100 g (chopped)
Tuna — 500 g (boneless cubed)
green chillies — 8 g (slit)
Fresh Coconut — 60 g (ground to paste)
salt — 6 g (none)
red chilli — 4 g (powder)
coconut milk — 200 g (liquid)
cumin powder — 2 g (powder)
Cloves — 1 g (whole)
Cardamom — 1 g (whole)
coriander powder — 4 g (powder)
turmeric root — 2 g (powder)

Tempering

Sunflower Oil — 25 g (heated)
onion — 200 g (sliced)
Curry Leaves — 2 g (whole)
dry red chillies — 2 g (whole broken)
ginger garlic paste — 12 g (paste)

Method

Marinate the tuna chunks: in a bowl combine the fish with 1/4 tsp turmeric, salt, half the red chilli powder, and a teaspoon of the coconut paste. Toss to coat. Rest 20 minutes.
Make the spice paste: blend grated coconut, remaining red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, cloves, cardamom, and 2 tbsp water into a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a wide pan on medium. Add the broken dry red chilli and curry leaves; let them sizzle 10 seconds.
Add sliced onions. Sauté 6-8 minutes on medium until deep golden brown.
Add ginger-garlic paste and slit green chillies. Stir 1 minute until raw smell goes.
Add the coconut-spice paste and remaining turmeric. Cook 3-4 minutes on low-medium, stirring constantly so coconut doesn't stick. Oil should start separating.
Add chopped tomato. Cook 4-5 minutes until tomato breaks down and oil rises.
Add salt. Pour in coconut milk gradually. Bring to a gentle simmer (do NOT rolling-boil — coconut milk can split).
Gently slide the marinated tuna chunks into the gravy. Spoon gravy over the fish to coat. Cover and simmer 8-10 minutes on low — flip fish gently halfway through.
Switch off heat. Cover and rest 5 minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice or coconut rice.

Common questions

How many calories in one plate of Mus Kavaab (Lakshadweep-Mappila Spiced Tuna Coconut Curry)?: 519 kcal per plate.
How much cooking time?: 55 min — 30 min prep, 25 min cooking.