Kerala Fish Curry

Kerala style fish curry is a favourite of all non-vegetarians. This fish curry goes well with boiled rice, tapioca, dosa and puttu. Fish curry can be made using any of the fishes available. I have made my fish curry with the king fish or the nei meen as we call in Kerala. This is a very spicy curry and is prepared without coconut.

Basic info about the recipe

Cuisine                                                      - South Indian

Serves                                                       - 5-6 people.

Ingredients:

1.   King fish                                - 1 kg

2.   Mustard seeds                     - 2 tsp

3.   Coconut oil                           - 2 tbsp

4.   Ginger- garlic paste             - 2 tsp

5.   Shallots                                 - 15- 20 nos

6.   Turmeric powder                  - 1 tsp

7.   Red chilli powder                 - 4 tsp

8.   Coriander powder                - 2 tsp

9.   Curry leaves                         - 15-20 nos

10.                       Salt                          - to taste

11.                       Methi seeds           - ½ tsp

12.                       Kudampuli              -6-7 nos

Method: Clean, wash and cut the fish to cube- sized pieces.

Wash in salt and turmeric water.( you can use lime water or vinegar also)

Dip the kokam( kudampuli) in hot water for 10 mts.

Heat a kadhai. ( I have used a typical Kerala style mannu chatty. It is said that preparing fish curry in this pot enhances the flavor).  Pour a tsp of oil.

Add ginger-garlic paste and shallots to the kadhai and fry till golden brown. Switch off the gas. Let it rest for 5 mts. Grind this in a mixer. 

Heat 2 tsp of oil again in the same kadhai. Splutter mustard seeds and methi seeds. Put curry leaves and stir fry.

Add the ground paste and fry till golden brown. Add turmeric, red chilli and coriander  powder and stir fry.( You can make a paste with these powders by adding some water and then add to the curry at this stage).

Add kokam and salt and enough water  and let it all come to a boil.

Add the fish pieces and stir well. Cover with a lid and let it cook for 10-15 mts till the fish is soft.( fish does not take much time to cook. Pls check in between). Do not stir the curry with a spatula. This will break the fish pieces.

Switch off the gas  after checking the consistency and add a tsp of oil on top. Serve hot.

Note: grinding the shallots and ginger-garlic will make the curry thick. Instead of grinding, you can add the powders and the rest of the steps if you so desire. In this case , first splutter mustard and methi seeds and then fry the shallots and the ginger-garlic.

Red chilli powder- I have used both normal and the kashmiri  mixed together. Adding kashmiri red chilli powder would give more colour.