20 Indian Seafood Dishes You Have To Try At Least Once

India has an expansive coastline, which means an extensive repertoire of delicious seafood dishes ready to be devoured. Virtually every little village and city all across India's shore has hidden gems of regional cuisine to offer the intrepid traveler, from the ancient fishing villages of Mumbai, the sunny beaches of Goa, coconut palm-lined paths of Tamil Nadu, and tiny delta islands of West Bengal. That's not to mention the river-dense areas of Kashmir or the backwaters of Kerala, which host a myriad of tempting dishes using freshwater fish.

However, this list won't just cover fish — we're featuring enviable plates using everything from shellfish and crustaceans to accessible options like salmon or mackerel. And don't expect just curries, as Indian cuisine expands far beyond the elaborately spiced saucy dishes we know and love. You'll find seafood features in much more: crispy fried snacks, rice dishes with the longest, fluffiest grains you've ever seen, piquant pickles, and much more.

Whether you'll use your newfound knowledge of unmissable Indian seafood dishes to cook up a storm in the comfort of your own home, seek out restaurants serving the diverse dishes, or if you're ultra-lucky and are planning a trip to India, you'll find endless inspiration below. Let's dive in ... pun intended!

West Bengal (and the neighboring country Bangladesh) is well-known for its seafood-heavy cuisine. Perhaps the area's most ubiquitous dish is maacher jhol (roughly translating to "fish gravy"), a striking red-colored dish with the distinctive flavor of mustard oil and Bengali spicing.

Maacher jhol traditionally uses freshwater carp like rohu or ilish, the latter of which is the state fish of West Bengal. Other oily fish like mackerel or kingfish make for an excellent substitute. Aside from the fish, the secret is in the sauce, or gravy, as it's known in India. Thin and watery, don't be mistaken by thinking it lacks flavor; minimal spicing lets the punchy, fruity taste of chili powder shine, while optional panch phoron offers bursts of flavor. Plus, the fiery, wet curry perfectly complements steamed rice.

Despite the common misconception, Indian cuisine extends far beyond curries, and rava fish fry exemplifies the country's culinary diversity. Prevalent across coastal southwestern India, the dish graces dining rooms and restaurant menus across Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Kerala. Each province has a slightly different method of preparation and spicing, but each has two necessary components: fish and semolina (rava).

Fresh kingfish (king mackerel) fillets or pomfret are the number one choice for cooks, typically marinated in a blend of basic spices like turmeric, red chili, and coriander powder, along with a ginger, garlic, and vinegar paste to ensure the semolina coating adheres well to the fish. Once shallow-fried, the rava-coated fish is deliciously crispy. For the complete experience, try eating it alongside rice, dal, or tangy rasam.

Biryani is the crowning glory of all Indian rice dishes. Equally popular outside South Asia, the glorious dish is made by layering fragrant long-grain rice with crispy caramelized onions, marinated protein or vegetables, fresh herbs, and nuts. Plus, our top tip? Bloom your saffron in milk and pour it over the rice for more flavorful biryani.

Most recipes online suggest celebratory lamb biryani, hot and spicy chicken biryani, or a lighter vegetarian plate. While each of these variations deserves its claim to fame, seafood biryani is a hidden gem we think you should know about (and try). 

Slow-cooked and gently perfumed, but with seafood instead of meat or vegetables, it's the cook's choice when choosing the main ingredient: Asian sea bass, mussels, shrimp, snapper, crabs, or even scallops are worthy additions. Serve with a fresh yogurt raita. 

Lavish and deeply rich, Konkani kalwanche tonak—which translates to "gravy of oysters" or oyster curry—is a dish to behold. Similarly to the U.S., oysters are considered a delicacy in India. In the Konkani region, where traditional livelihoods revolve around fishing communities, men and women alike harvest oysters to sell in markets.

The dark brown color of kalwanche tonak comes from a special Konkani masala paste made with onion, garlic, fresh coconut, dried chilis, and aromatic spices such as coriander seeds, cloves, star anise, peppercorns, fennel seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, and stone flower (a lichen spice). The mixture is slowly dry-roasted to extract its aromatic oils, then ground into a paste and fried until caramelized before adding the cleaned oysters. Simmered until thick and irresistible, this is a must-try.

Loaded with numerous unusual ingredients, Bengali machh kasundi champions the flavor of mustard. Like most Bengali recipes, cooks use mustard oil in every cooking stage, but this dish adds an extra punch of sharp, hot mustard with kasundi, a sauce made from fermented mustard seeds pounded with dried spices. The sauce is widely available commercially, but some home cooks still prefer to make it themselves, sometimes incorporating sour-dried hog plums or mangoes to amplify its tangy flavor.

Other flavors may include nutty ground poppy seeds, green chilis, subtly bitter nigella seeds, onion, garlic, and thick yogurt. There are few dried spices needed to make the dish since the pungency of the fermented mustard sauce does all the talking; the secondary flavor should come from the fish, which is traditionally either salmon, Asian sea bass, ilish, or rohu.

Unjustifiably so, crab xacuti has far less visibility outside Goa than its other counterparts, mutton, beef, or chicken xacuti. Pronounced "sha-coot-ie," the dish may have Portuguese influences — as does much of West Indian cuisine, as the Portuguese colonialists brought potatoes, chilis, and many more ingredients to the country — but the flavors are now recognized as undeniably Goan.

Goan cooks use blue swimmers or freshwater mud crabs to make the dish, relying on the "catch of the day." The sweet, almost nutty flavor of the crab flesh marries with the sauce made from dry roasted coconut, poppy seeds, and the fragrance of cloves, cinnamon, and star anise while contrasting with the tart, caramelized hints of tamarind. Crab xacuti isn't overtly spicy, but it typically uses three varieties of pepper: dried mild chilis, fresh and sharp green chilis, and woodsy black pepper, lending a unique heat to the palate.

Pomfret, a delicate-tasting fish with a buttery flavor and texture, is one of the most sought-after fish in Maharashtra, where, in the local language, it's known as "paplet." In particular, the fishing communities of Mumbai — which settled in the area long before the skyscrapers and daily bustle of India's commercial capital rose — are known for the mouthwatering bharla paplet, or stuffed pomfret.

Clean and fresh flavors dominate the palate, with a bright green masala paste made from fresh cilantro, lemon, green chilis, and grated coconut infusing every bite with herby vibrancy. While Indian seafood dishes make ample use of the marination technique to imbue extra flavor, they avoid the biggest marinating mistake, leaving the fish just long enough to soak up that spicy goodness.

Crab meat is distinctly sweet and nutty, with an inviting buttery and tender texture that makes it hard to resist. Adventurous food connoisseurs will no doubt have savored the shellfish in pasta dishes like crab ravioli, but perhaps you shied away from pairing the light, subtle flavors with the heady spice of Indian food. If so, you're in for a treat.

Maharashtrian khekdyacha rassa — rassa being a thin, spicy gravy, and khekada being crabs — is full of the tropical flavors of the sea famed in the Malvani region. Key to the recipe is a smoky paste made from flame-roasted coconut, onion, herbs, and spices, which helps to thicken the sauce and lends a distinct nuance to the dish. Tamarind pulp provides tangy undertones to contrast the sharp picante kick from chili, while a regional spice blend called Malvani masala balances everything out.

It's no secret that seafood can emit a strong aroma, but Bombay duck takes the prize for its exceptionally pungent smell. Despite its intense odor, cooks prize this ingredient for its salty, umami-rich taste. And, contrary to its name, you'll probably never guess what Bombay duck actually is. (Hint: It is a fish, after all.)

Often used dried, this dry Bombay duck pickle recipe, or as it's called in Marathi, sukha bomblache lonche, is no different. Unlike most pickles, this one is cooked by softening onions, garlic, ginger, and dried bombay duck pieces in oil before adding a vibrant spice containing pickling spices, vinegar, and sugar. It must be left to mature, then enjoyed on the side of a traditional Maharashtrian fish thali.

You might have noticed that Indian seafood dishes typically solely showcase sea proteins as the main attraction. However, breaking away from the norm, this spectacular Kashmiri dish promises to provide something excitingly different to the taste buds.

Muji gaad combines deep-fried fish (customarily trout) with peppery fried radish, each swimming in a fragrant sauce seasoned with earthy black cumin seeds, fennel powder, ginger powder, warming Kashmiri chili powder, and an array of other delights. As recipes vary, some chefs will add lotus roots, another popular component of Kashmiri cooking, and leafy greens such as bitter bishop's weed or the more globally available collard greens.

Culturally, the dish is especially linked to the Hindu community of Kashmir, although it features heavily on both Muslim and Hindu festive occasions. We suggest eating it with a side of steaming hot rice.