Representative image. Actual catch may vary.
Fresh Surmai (Seer Fish) in Bengaluru
The king of the Konkan coast.
Also known as: Surmai · Seer Fish · Anjal · Neymeen · Vanjaram
Firm, meaty steaks — the king of the Konkan coast.
About Surmai (Seer Fish)
Surmai — Seer Fish in English, Anjal in Mangalorean, Neymeen in Malayalam, Vanjaram in Tamil — is arguably the most respected fish on the Indian west coast. Long, silver, torpedo-shaped, with a single row of bones running down the centre and firm, meaty flesh that holds its shape in a curry or on a grill, it is the fish that Konkani, Mangalorean and Malabari kitchens build entire meals around.
The flesh is off-white, dense but not chewy, and rich enough to stand up to strong spice without falling apart. Because the flesh is firm, Surmai is the one fish that survives a proper deep-fry beautifully — the outside crisps to a shell and the inside stays juicy. It is the fish that headlines Sunday lunches, mehmaan-nawaazi dinners, and monsoon menus across coastal Karnataka.
We source Surmai when the coast has a proper haul. We do not put "always available" against it because that would be a lie — some weeks the sea gives us a lot, some weeks it does not. We will always tell you on WhatsApp what we actually have.
Cuts we offer
- Whole fish, gilled and gutted
- Steaks (2–3 cm thick, bone-in) — the classic Surmai cut
- Fillets, skin-off — for pan-sear
- Head — for the thick, gelatinous Konkani head curry
How to cook Surmai (Seer Fish)
Surmai fry is a rite of passage: marinate 2–3 cm steaks in red chilli, turmeric, ginger-garlic, salt and a squeeze of lime for 20 minutes; coat lightly in rava (semolina) or rice flour; and shallow-fry in mustard or coconut oil, 3 minutes a side, until the crust is a dark bronze. For a coastal curry, temper mustard, curry leaves, and dry red chilli in coconut oil, add onion-tomato masala and a fresh ground coconut-coriander paste, thin with coconut milk, simmer, and slip the Surmai steaks in for the final 5–6 minutes only. For a tandoor twist, use hung curd, kashmiri red chilli and ajwain, then finish over live coals.
How we deliver it fresh
We source from the coast in the morning, chill it on ice for the drive to Bengaluru and pack it hygienically before it leaves for your door in KR Puram, Whitefield, Marathahalli or the surrounding areas. Nothing here is frozen for days on end and nothing here is chemically treated — the only preservation is temperature. If you order in the morning we deliver the same day; if you order later, we schedule you into the next available slot on WhatsApp before we pack.
Frequently asked about Surmai (Seer Fish)
What is the difference between Surmai and King Fish?
They are the same family of fish (mackerel family, Scomberomorus). Surmai is the Marathi/Hindi coastal name for the smaller-to-medium Seer Fish that dominates the Konkan and Karnataka coast; "King Fish" in Bengaluru markets is typically a larger cut of the same species.
Do you deliver Surmai steaks or whole?
Both. Steaks are the most popular ask. If you want a whole fish for a party or a specific cut for the head curry, mention it on WhatsApp and we will cut to order before packing.
How fresh will the Surmai be on delivery?
We only accept Surmai when the day's landing is genuinely fresh, chilled it on ice from the coast and packed within hours. What lands on your plate is what came out of the sea that morning or the night before.
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Order Surmai (Seer Fish) on WhatsApp
Tell us the cut and quantity — we confirm today’s exact price on WhatsApp before your order is packed.