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Curry Smelts Recipe: A Dangerously Addictive Comfort Meal

May 7, 2026May 7, 2026Leave a Comment

My first encounter with smelts is not this curry smelts recipe, but rather smelts fried crisp with simple salt and black pepper seasoning. Early spring in Hamilton means going fishing for smelts in Lake Ontario with my previous wife’s grandfather (RIP PaPere). For this Caribbean fella, those chilly nights along the shoreline feel brutal. After hours of fishing with no luck one night, some Portuguese fishermen farther down from us shared fried smelts they caught the night before and packed along for dinner. That first bite has stayed with me ever since. It reminded me of home, and the ‘fry dry’ herrings mom would make and serve with Dhal and rice.

This curry smelts recipe goes into rotation every season after that. Seasoned in a rich Caribbean marinade, the smelts are fried crisp before being added to a luscious curry sauce and simmered until they absorb the divine curry gravy. The scent of roasted geera, curry powder, garlic, and onion cooking away fills the kitchen with the sort of warmth only true comfort food can bring.

If you recall, I shared my version of Crispy Fried Smelts a few years back, and you’ll notice similarities with both of these recipes in the Zesty Caribbean Pan Fried Sardines I shared back in 2013.

Ingredient Guide

Smelts Small delicate fish that fry up crisp while still absorbing the rich curry sauce beautifully.

Lime or lemon juice Traditionally used to wash and brighten the fish before seasoning.

Salt Helps season the smelts and balance the curry flavors.

Black pepper Adds mild heat and earthy depth to the marinade and curry sauce.

Caribbean green seasoning Brings fresh herbal flavor and authentic Caribbean character to the dish.

All-purpose flour Creates a light crust that helps the smelts fry crisp and golden.

Vegetable oil Used for frying the fish and building the curry base.

Onion Adds sweetness and body to the curry gravy.

Garlic Gives the dish savory depth and aroma.

Scotch bonnet pepper Adds Caribbean heat and fruity pepper flavor.

Anchar masala Contributes tangy roasted spice notes common in Caribbean curry dishes.

Ground roasted geera (cumin) Delivers deep earthy warmth and enhances the curry base.

Curry powder Forms the backbone of the curry gravy with bold island flavor.

Water Helps create the sauce while carrying the reserved marinade flavors into the curry.

Cilantro or coriander Freshens the finished dish with herbal brightness.

Shopping Made Easy

Smelts are usually available during spring at seafood markets near the Great Lakes region.
Caribbean green seasoning can be purchased bottled at many West Indian grocery stores.
Anchar masala and roasted geera are commonly found in Caribbean supermarkets.
Green scotch bonnet peppers offer a gentler heat and unique flavor compared to ripe peppers.
Fresh smelts should smell clean and have firm flesh with bright eyes.

Cooking Notes from the Kitchen

Frying the smelts before adding them to the curry helps them hold together while simmering.
Roasting the curry spices in oil helps release their natural aroma and flavor.
Using the reserved marinade water adds another layer of flavor to the curry sauce.
If you prefer a thinner curry sauce, add a bit more water near the end of cooking.
This curry smelts recipe pairs beautifully with hot sada roti or steamed rice.

Curry Smelts Recipe

This curry smelts recipe features crispy fried smelts simmered in a rich Caribbean curry gravy with roasted geera, garlic, onion, and bold island spices. A comforting seafood curry perfect with rice or hot Sada roti.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Course Caribbean Classics, Easy Caribbean Recipes, Seafood & Fish, Spring Recipes

Cuisine General Caribbean

Servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs smelts
1 lime or lemon juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper divided
1 1/2 tablespoons Caribbean green seasoning
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion diced
6 cloves garlic smashed
1 scotch bonnet pepper
3/4 tablespoon anchar masala
3/4 tablespoon ground roasted geera cumin
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or coriander

Instructions

Wash the smelts with the juice of the lime or lemon and rinse with cool water. Drain well.
Season the smelts with the salt, half of the black pepper, and the Caribbean green seasoning. Mix well to fully coat the fish .
Prepare your frying station with the flour in a bowl, a paper towel-lined plate, and a wok or deep pan with vegetable oil heated for frying.
Dust the seasoned smelts lightly in the flour and fry for 5 to 7 minutes until golden and crisp. As they fry, the kitchen will immediately remind you why simple seafood dishes are often the most satisfying. Drain and set aside.
Pour the water into the same bowl used to season the smelts and reserve, so none of that flavor goes to waste.
Once all the smelts are fried, heat the remaining vegetable oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and scotch bonnet pepper and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the roasted geera, anchar masala, remaining black pepper, and curry powder. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to toast the spices evenly and release their aroma. The scent of the spices cooking away will perfume the entire kitchen with that unmistakable Caribbean warmth.
Add the reserved water (with rememnts of marinade) to the pot and bring the heat back up to medium-high. Allow the curry sauce to reduce by about 25 % and deepen in color and flavor.
Add the fried smelts back to the pan and spoon the curry sauce over them to coat evenly. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens and the smelts absorb that rich Caribbean curry goodness. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a bit more water.
Taste and adjust the salt to your liking. Finish with the chopped cilantro or coriander and serve warm with coconut rice or hot sada roti for the full experience. Were I still based in Trinidad and Tobago, I'd use chopped Chadon Beni (culantro) instead of the cilantro.

Video

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

What are smelts and how do they taste?

Smelts are small oily fish with delicate flesh and a mild flavor. When fried, they become wonderfully crisp while still staying tender enough to absorb rich curry sauces.

Can I use another fish instead of smelts?

Yes. Small sardines, anchovies, or whitebait can work well in this curry smelts recipe. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the fish.

Why fry the smelts before adding them to the curry?

Frying the smelts first helps them maintain their shape and texture while simmering in the curry sauce. It also adds another layer of flavor.

Is scotch bonnet pepper necessary?

Scotch bonnet pepper gives the dish authentic Caribbean heat and flavor, but you can substitute any spicy pepper you prefer and use as much or as little as you can handle.

What is the best way to serve curry smelts?

Curry smelts are excellent served with steamed rice or hot sada roti for soaking up the rich curry gravy.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Incredible Curry Tuna.

July 17, 2023June 26, 20231 Comment

While the comments do take on a positive nature for the most part, for a few people (never gave it a try) the idea of Curry Tuna (from a can) is a bit repulsive. Join the discussion on Instagram. I can guarantee you that it’s an incredible curry dish and you’ll be amazed by the overall flavors you’ll enjoy… by such a simple recipe.

You’ll Need…

tuna in oil (3 small cans)
6-8 Grape tomato (chopped)
Onion (sliced or diced)
Garlic (crushed)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder (geera)
2 Scallion (chopped)
1 Scotch Bonnet pepper
3/4 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped Cilantro

TIP! Be sure to watch the video below to get further tips on this classic curry fish recipe, from the Caribbean.

Prep all the ingredients in advance and you’ll find that the cook-time goes quick and smooth. Dice, chop and crush. I used an entire Scotch Bonnet pepper but you can use as much as you can handle or none.. you’re in control. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such spicy peppers.

Drain the cans of tuna and reserve the oil. May I recommend that you try to get tuna packaged in oil vs water as we’ll use the oil (which is already flavored by the tuna) in making this dish. Pour the oil in a saucepan on med/low heat and add the garlic, followed by the Caribbean Green seasoning, black pepper and Scotch Bonnet pepper. Turn the heat to low and cook gently for 3 minutes.

With your heat still on low, add the curry powder and roasted cumin (geera) and stir well. Cook for a further 4 minutes to allow the spices to bloom.

Turn the heat up slightly and add the drained tuna to the pan. Stir well.

It’s now time to add the tomato, onion, scallions and salt. Stir well, then add the water. Basically all you have to do now is allow for the onion and tomatoes to soften and take on some of that lovely curry flavor. Turn the heat down to a simmer (once it come to a boil) and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add more water if you find it’s too dry or if it starts sticking.

May I recommend that you chop the onion into large pieces as I find that the chunky nature adds to the overall texture of the dish. I used grape tomatoes, but any tomato will work (it’s what I had on hand in the fridge). Top with the cilantro (or Culantro) as you turn off the stove and stir well. It will brighten up the dish at the end. Yes, a few drops of lime juice would be good as well.

As a side to hot steaming rice and you’re set for a comforting meal. Add sliced cucumber, watercress and avocado on the side, and you just made things even more enjoyable.

Curry Crayfish With Potato.

February 18, 2022February 17, 2022Leave a Comment

While I didn’t grow up eating this dish on the islands (simply because I don’t ever recall mom having access to crayfish), it’s quite common to see me make it when I visit the Asian supermarkets and they have crayfish (frozen) in stock. The trick is to not over-cook the the crayfish, while using it a base for flavoring the entire curry.

You’ll Need…

1 lb crayfish (crawfish)
1 med onion (sliced)
4-6 cloves garlic (smashed/crushed)
1 1/4 teaspoon salt (divided)
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder (divided)
3/4 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
4 -5 cups water
1 small habanero pepper (optional)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning (divided)
2-3 tablespoon coconut oil
5 medium potatoes (1-2 inch pieces)
1 teaspoon roasted Geera (cumin)
1 tablespoon Cilantro (chopped fine)

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder you use, as some may have flour as a filler/thickener.

Wash the crayfish with 1/2 lemon or 1/2 lime (juice) and cool water. Drain and squeeze dry (especially if the crayfish was previously frozen as in my case).

Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 of the black pepper, 1/2 tablespoon curry powder and 1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning. Mix well and marinate for 10-115 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoon of coconut oil in a saucepan on a medium flame. Add the seasoned crayfish, stir well, then crank up the heat to high. Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes, then remove the crayfish and set aside. I used a slotted spoon.

Turn the heat down to medium now (same saucepan), add the onion, garlic, remaining black pepper, habanero pepper (remove the seeds ad white membrane around the seeds to tame the heat a bit if you want) and the remaining Caribbean Green Seasoning. Stir to combine and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Once the liquid is burnt off and you can see the oil we started off with (add more coconut oil here if you wish), add the remaining curry powder and stir well.

Turn the heat to low so we don’t burn the curry. After 2-3 minutes, add 1/2 cup of water along with the roasted cumin (geera). Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the liquid burns off. This is your curry base.

Now add the potato and stir to coat the pieces of potato with the curry, then add 4 cups of water and remaining salt and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, lid on (slightly ajar) and cook for 20 minutes and the potato is falling-apart tender.

Once the potato is tender, you can crank up the heat and crush a few pieces of potato to thicken the gravy. Now add the pre-cooked crayfish to the pot. Do keep in mind that this dish is meant to have a sauce or gravy and that it will thicken considerably as it cools down.

Cook for a minute or two, add the cilantro and taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Enjoy!

Be sure to watch the video below if any of the steps seem confusing and be sure to serve this with your fav rice dish, sada roti or my fave.. buss-up-shut roti. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Oh Yeh.. shrimp can be used a as a replacement for the crayfish.

Curry fish with green mango in a silver pan resting on the stove

Caribbean Curry Fish With Green Mango.

April 4, 2018April 4, 2018Leave a Comment

Here’s another one of those dishes I disliked as a young fella on the islands, but as an adult it definitely hits the spot when I’m looking for something warm and comforting. Especially when I’m not too lazy to make hot Sada Roti. I’m sure this combination of mango and fish came about as a means of stretching the dish when one didn’t have a lot of fish and a few people to feed. Plus the tartness of the green mango works well with the curry base as well.

You’ll Need…

2-3 lbs fish (white ocean fish)
1/2 lime (for washing the fish)
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (for seasoning the fish)
1 cup water
oil for frying the fish (about 2 cups veg oil)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoon veg oil
2 heaping tablespoon curry powder
1/2 small onion
4 cloves garlic
1/2 medium tomato
2 scallions
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 large green mango (cut into pieces)

Season the cleaned/washed fish with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt, 1/2 the black pepper and the 1/2 teaspoon curry powder. Allow it to marinate for an hr, then lightly dust in the flour and fry on each side for about 4 minutes each. Set aside to drain on paper towels. I gave each fish a couple cuts on the thickest part of the belly to help the marinade get in and to help in cook evenly. (wash the fish with cool water and the juice of the lime, before you begin)

In the same bowl you marinated the fish, add the water and swish around to pick up any remaining marinade. Set aside. Wash and cut the mango (I discarded the seed) into 1/2 inch thick pieces.

In another wide pan heat the 2 tablespoon veg oil, then add the diced onion and garlic.. reduce the heat to low so you don’t burn the garlic. Add as much Caribbean Sunshine (Scotch Bonnet pepper) as you think you can handle and stir well. heat low.

With the heat still on low, add the remaining black pepper and the curry powder. Stir well. Cook on low for 3-4 minutes to cook off any raw curry taste.

It will go clumpy, darker in color and your kitchen will have the lovely aroma of the spices which makes up a good curry powder. Add the pieces of mango and stir well to coat. Then go in with the water we reserved in the bowl we seasoned the fish in. Turn up the heat and bring to boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook with the lid on for 6-8 minutes.

The mango should be somewhat tender at this point (cook longer if you want it more tender), push things around and add the previously fried fish to the pot. be gentle as we don’t want to break the fish. Try to spoon on some of the gravy over the fish to coat it. Add a bit more water if you need. Top with the scallions and diced tomato, then simmer with the lid on the pot for 5 minutes.

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. The mango should be tender and you should have a lovely curry sauce/gravy to eat with your steamed rice, roti or boiled ground provision. Please be mindful that the fish I used had bones.. you may use boneless fish pieces if you want. As mentioned in the video, I completely forgot the name of the fish I used, but I do know it’s an ocean fish (white).

I do hope you give this curry fish with pieces of tender green mango a try. The flavor will be unlike any curry dish you’ve ever had.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Curry King Fish.

November 12, 2014September 7, 201236 Comments

A while back while doing one of those internet “20 Questions” I was asked “what would be your last meal?” and without even blinking my eye I said “my moms curry king fish”. Every winter before our parents head back down to the Caribbean to revel in that wonderful Caribbean sunshine, it’s my dad’s job to search out a huge King fish at the local Asian grocery stores and mom’s chore, is to ress ah curry on it.

My dad is very picky when it comes to choosing the ‘right’ King fish, so he starts his search about a month in advance. Maybe I’ll get him to share his tips with us in a coming video in the Food FAQ channel. After making a huge pot of curry king fish, she them place a slice along with some of the rich gravy into freezer containers (yup, we have special containers just for this yearly tradition) and they’re then sent down to me to last the winter. That woman’s curry fish is absolutely divine and though I’ve tried, I’ve never been able to really duplicate her recipe as she does.

You’ll Need…

4 slices King Fish (about 1.5 lbs)
1 onion
1 tomato
1 tablespoon Caribbean green seasoning
2 cloves garlic
3 leaves shado beni (or cilantro)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
1 cup water
4 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoon veg oil
oil for frying the fish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup bell pepper (optional)
1 scallion (green onion/spring onion)
1/2 teaspoon amchar masala

Notes: You’ll need the juice of half a lime or lemon to wash the fish as it’s typically done in the Caribbean. The King fish slices will have a center bone, so do let your guests know when serving. The bell pepper is not a traditional ingredient, but I’m making use of it before it goes bad in my fridge.

To make your own amchar masala, toast the following in a dry frying pan… 4 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp whole fennel seeds, 1 tsp brown mustard seeds, 1 tsp fenugreek seeds and then grind in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle.

Wash the slices of King fish with the juice of half a lime or lemon and some cool water, drain and set aside as you chop the onion, scallion, garlic, tomato and scotch bonnet pepper. As we’ve discussed in the past try not to use any of the seeds in the scotch bonnet of you don’t want that raw heat, remember to wear gloves if you’ve sensitive skin and don’t forget to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling them. Give the shado beni a rough chop as well and set aside for later.

Place the fish slices in a large bowl and season with the salt, black pepper, tomato, scallions, scotch bonnet pepper, amchar masala, 1/3 of the curry powder, 1/2 of the onion, green seasoning and bell pepper if you choose to use it.

Seal the bowl with some plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour. After which it’s time to quickly fry each slice of fish as part of this tasty curry fish recipe. I basically had a small station set up. The seasoned fish, a plate with the flour, the oil for frying (about 2 cups veg oil) and a wire basket lined with paper towels to drain off extra oil after frying.

Shake off any extra marinade on the fish, then dust in flour and place in the hot oil. Be gentle when placing the fish in the hot oil, so it doesn’t splatter and burn you. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes (until you start getting a bit of colour) as we don’t want to overcook the fish. We will be cooking it further when we create the curry sauce. Place the fried pieces of fish on the paper towels to drain as we create the tasty curry sauce.

In a deep saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoon of veg oil on med/high heat, then toss in the remaining half of the onion and garlic. Reduce your heat to low and let that gently cook for a couple minutes. You should have a nice flavor base started at this point, so it’s time to toss in the remaining curry powder (I used a madras blend from the Caribbean) and stir well. It will start to go darker and grainy. Stir and allow to bloom for 3 minutes! Your kitchen should have that ‘wicked’ scent by now. It’s now time to empty all the marinade (chopped stuff) into the pot and give it a good stir. Turn your heat to medium and bring to a boil. In the same bowl you had the fish marinating, add the 1 cup of water to is and swish it around to pick up any remaining marinade.

Pour in that water into the pan and bring to a boil and allow to simmer for about 3-5 minutes to allow all those flavors to marry and make good things happen in that pan.

It’s now time to gently add back the pieces of fish to the pot to help complete the curry fish dish. I simply used my hands to do this part as I didn’t want the fish to fall apart and I had to shake the fish pieces so they would make it among the lovely sauce. Allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes and if you can.. flip the pieces of fish. If not, spoon some of that curry sauce all over the fish as it simmers away.

The sauce will start to thicken up, the fish will be infused by all the wonderful flavors we created and your curry fish will now be ready to serve. Rice, roti, ground provision.. even on it’s own, this curry fish will be a hit! As you turn off the stove, top with the chopped shado beni (or cilantro) and place the lid on the pan. The remaining heat will heighten the natural flavor of the shado beni and it will add a lovely undertone.

Note: Remember the sauce will thicken further after it cools down and the residual heat form the pan will also contribute to this, so don’t worry if the sauce seems a bit runny at first.

Admittedly this is an excellent curry King fish, but it’s nothing as scrumptious as the curry fish our mom makes… among other things.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

An exciting curry dish using canned salmon.

March 5, 2012October 10, 201047 Comments

I had a serious craving for some curry, about 10 pm last night and I didn’t want to wait for any of the frozen meats we had in the freezer to thaw out. Kinda late to be eating a heavy meal, but eating late is the norm for me (and it shows). I hit the pantry and found a couple cans of pink salmon, so I decided to make one of those quick dishes that doesn’t get the acclamation it deserves. BTW, here’s another way to make this dish without the curry: Gourmet salmon from a can?

You’ll Need…

1 can Salmon – 213g (I used Pink Pacific)
1 small onion sliced
2 cloves garlic sliced/crushed
1/4 hot pepper (optional, but adds the kick to the curry)
1 scallion
1 teaspoon curry powder (your favorite)
1 tablespoon oil
dash of black pepper

* You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt, as I find that most canned foods are already loaded with salt. Add as you feel is necessary.

Prep the onion, garlic, pepper and scallion. Then in a saucepan on medium/high heat, heat the oil. Add the sliced onion and garlic and cook for a couple minutes on medium heat. Allow to soften and release it’s natural oils.

Now add the slices of hot pepper and allow to cook for about a minute, then add the curry powder and stir well. Let that cook (stir) cook for about 2 minutes, then add about 5 tablespoons of water and stir to pick up all the curry that may be stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Turn down the heat to low and allow the curry paste to cook for about 3-5 minutes… until all the liquid cooks off. The next step is to empty the can of salmon into the pot and break apart (add the liquid from the can as well). Try to keep it in flakes, so there’s some texture to the final outcome. Mix in the scallion and tomato and cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer (covered).

With the lid on, it will spring some of it’s own juices. Cook this for about 5 minutes or until it thickens a bit. Remember to stir a couple times, but try not to break-up the fish too much.

I had some leftover rice in the fridge, so it was a complete meal. I really wish I could add some slices of cucumber to my plate, but cucumber and late nights does not work well for my digestion.

This is a super-fast way to enjoy a lovely curry fish meal, that’s full of body and a unique punch of flavors. Before I go I’d like to remind you to leave me your comments below (it’s always appreciated), share this recipe with your friends by sending them the link to the website and do join us on Facebook as we grow our already large Caribbean food community. All you have to do is click on the facebook image below to get started.

Ingredient Guide

Shopping Made Easy

Cooking Notes from the Kitchen

Curry Smelts Recipe

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Video

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

What are smelts and how do they taste?

Can I use another fish instead of smelts?

Why fry the smelts before adding them to the curry?

Is scotch bonnet pepper necessary?

What is the best way to serve curry smelts?

Ingredients