This was among the initial recipes I learned from my Ammi before moving to the US. It's a Kerala delicacy which is super easy to make and amazing with some plain rice.
Ingredients -
Fish of your choice - 500 grams
Chilly Powder - 2 tbsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Fenugreek Powder - 1/4 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic Sliced - 3 tsp
Curry leaves - 6 - 10 leaves
Coconut Oil - 3 tbsp
Meen Puli (Dried tamarind) - 3 pieces
Salt - As per taste
Recipe -
In a heavy bottom saucepan, take 2 tbsp coconut oil and let it heat up. Then add your mustard seeds, garlic slices and 5 to 6 curry leaves and let it sizzle.
Now add in your spice mixes and mix till it turns aromatic. The trick with spice mix is the proportions and you can adjust the quantity as per your choice. Remember the sequence (chilly, coriander, turmeric and fenugreek) and start by chilly and take half of each spices.
Add enough water and bring the sauce to a boil and adjust salt. Add in your fish pieces and meen puli and cover the pan.
After you add in the fish, do not use the spoon or spatula to stir henceforth or the fish meat will break. Use the saucepan handles to mix well and cook for 15 - 20 mins covered or until the fish is cooked through. Now adjust the consistency of the sauce and if you feel its still watery, let it boil uncovered for another 3 - 4 mins.
Add the remaining fresh curry leaves and the coconut oil and cover the pan and let it sit for at least 4 hours before you relish it with some rice or kappa.
I prefer making this curry in evening before as it does not take up much time to whip up and this gives it enough time to rest.
Each malayalee house will have their own version of fish curry recipe and this is ours. Hope you will try it and relish is as much as my family and friends.
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