Kingfish, known locally and across South Asian kitchens as surmai, is a firm, meaty fish that holds its shape beautifully once cut into cubes, making it ideal for curries, fry-ups, and skewered preparations where a flakier fish would fall apart. Its dense texture and clean, mild flavour take on spice blends and marinades really well, whether that's a classic Goan-style fish curry with coconut and tamarind, a simple turmeric-chilli shallow fry, or cubes threaded onto skewers for a tandoori-style grill. Being boneless, it's ready to cook straight away with no picking through pin bones at the table. For frying, a light dusting of semolina or rice flour after marinating gives a satisfying crust while keeping the inside moist, and a hot pan with just enough oil is all you need, since the cubes cook through quickly given their small size. For curries, add the fish toward the end of cooking so it simmers gently rather than breaking apart in a bubbling sauce.

When selecting kingfish, look for cubes that are firm to the touch, evenly white to pale pink, and free of any strong fishy odour, which is the clearest sign of freshness. Keep it well chilled and cook the same day if possible, or freeze immediately if not.

QuicKart delivers seafood fresh with free UAE delivery, and you can check out our fresh seafood range for more options to pair with it.