This curry originates from the Northern part of Kerala, The Malabar region. This curry is adapted from Umi Abdulla’s style of cooking. This particular fish curry from Kerala is my favourite. Here, the coconut is roasted to a golden colour and ground alongwith aniseed which gives it a tangy and a nutty taste. It can be served with rice or dosas.
Ingredients:
Seer fish or any other fish – 250 gms
Coconut grated or cut into pieces- 3/4 cup
Onion – 1 big finely chopped
Green chillies – 4 sliced long
Tamarind – a small ball
Curry leaves – 10 leaves
Ginger cut fine – 2 inch piece
Garlic chopped fine – 6 cloves
Shallots – 1 tbsp chopped
Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves – 3 or 4 stalks
Chillie powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Aniseed/Saunf – 1 tbsp
Tomato – 1 big chopped
Water – 1 1/2 cups
Oil – 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Preparation:
Soak tamarind in little water. Clean and cut the fish and keep it aside.
In a pan, add a tsp of oil, add the chopped shallots and aniseed and saute well. Add curry leaves (5- 6 leaves) and then the grated coconut until it turns golden brown in colour. Let it cool and then transfer it to a mixie. Add 1 tbsp of water and pulse it. Grind it until it is fine and keep it aside.
In the same pan, add 1 tbsp of oil and heat it. When hot, add fenugreek seeds and when it slightly changes colour, add the chopped onions and then the chillies. Next, in goes the chopped ginger and garlic . Saute for a few minutes and then add the chillie powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Saute it again and add the chopped tomatoes and saute it well for 5 minutes until the raw smell disappears. Now add the tamarind pulp to it and two cups of water. Boil for 5 minutes and add the fish and close the lid. Lower the flame and let it simmer for some time.
Lastly, add curry leaves, coriander leaves and the ground paste and let it boil once. Make sure you gently stir the gravy so that the fish pieces do not break. Garnish it with coriander leaves.
Meal Haven 