Sunday, August 15, 2010

Kerala Red Fish Curry

Kerala red fish curry....when you say the same my mouth starts watering. My husband (Shoj), who is basically from Kerala, India is very fond of this curry and so I learned it from his aunt. She makes it very tasty and so easily, but I always take so much time to get the exact taste and texture and the look. But I appreciate my husband who like the way I make it too. So I thought let me put this recipe into my blog so that somebody else like me would try it and would please their dear ones....

Ingredients:
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1 Whole King fish cuts into slices or fillets
3/4 Green Chillies slit
10 Shallots sliced
10 Garlic pods sliced
1inch Ginger sliced
1tbsp Chili powder
2tbsp Paprika powder
2tbsp Coriander powder
1/4tsp Fenugreek powder
1tsp Turmeric powder
4/5 Kudam Puli (Kokam/Kerala fish curry puli)
Salt to taste
Seasoning:
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1tsp Mustard Seeds
2 sprigs Curry Leaves
1/4tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1/4tsp Cumin Seeds
3tbsp Oil (coconut oil - optional)

Method:
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1. Wash and clean the fish peices. Rub with little bit of the turmeric powder and salt and wash it again clean.
2. Wash and soak the Kudam puli in water.
3. In a small bowl mix turmeric powder, fenugreek powder, salt, corriander powder, chili powder and paprika powder with little water and keep it aside as the masala paste.
4. In a heavy bottom pan or a mud pan (usually used in kerala to prepare fish curry) add oil and the seasoning ingredients and wait until mustard seeds splutter.
5. Add the sliced ginger and when it turns pale add garlic and shallots and fry them until they turn slight brown.
6. Now add the masala paste and cook the spice powders on medium low flame until the paste turns to dark red color.
7. Now add kudam puli and the water necessary for the fish curry. mix well and now bring to a boil on high flame.
8. Reduce the flame to medium-high and add the fish pieces and cook for about 15 mins or until the fish is cooked completely by covering the pan and leaving a little space for the steam to escape.
9. Before serving sprinkle with more curry leaves and coconut oil (optional).


Note: This curry is best served a day after it is cooked. So that the fish pieces absorb all the juices of the curry and the tangy/sour taste of the kudam puli.