Fish Curry Kodavas Style Food

POMFRET MACHER JHAAL (POMFRET FISH CURRY)

Steps:

• Rub pomfret with 1 teaspoon turmeric and a pinch of salt.
• Mix remaining 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, red chile powder, and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl to make a paste.
• Combine 2 green chile peppers, tomato, mustard seeds, and salt in a food processor; grind into a paste. Thin paste with water if it appears too thick.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add fish; pan-fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer fish to a plate. Add remaining 2 green chile peppers and onion seeds; cook and stir until chile peppers darken, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour turmeric paste into the skillet; cook and stir until mixture looks dry, about 1 minute. Pour in chile pepper paste; cook and stir until dry, about 1 minute. Pour in enough water to cover; bring to a simmer. Return fish to the skillet and continue simmering, covered, until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 6 minutes.

FISH CURRY

Steps:

• In a grinder grind the onions, ginger, 2 bay leaves, red chili, mustard seeds, cumin seed all together.
• Preserve some cut pieces 1 cup) of onion.
• Cut small pieces of tomatoes.
• Make small pieces of fish fillets, about 3 inches in length.
• Clean them properly if you are using the whole fish and make it into small pieces.
• Take a big plate, put the fish in it and sprinkle 2 teaspoon of salt, two teaspoon of turmeric powder and the garlic paste.
• Mix all of them properly.
• Allow to marinate for 1/2 hour.
• Take a pan or a wok (preferable), heat it and put oil to deep fry the fish.
• Once the oil is much hotter, fry the fish, 3-4 pieces at a time, 3-4 minutes on each side.
• Keep all of them in a separate plate.
• When all the pieces are fried, clean all the black residues from the oil in the wok with the spatula and put 2 tablespoon of fresh oil in the it.
• Then put a pinch of cumin seed, a pinch of mustard seed, 2 red chili, 2 bay leaves, a pinch of aniseed (all together is called panch-phoran) and allow them to splutter.
• Then put the cut onion pieces and allow it to just a little brown.
• Then put all the ground paste,tomatoes,left over turmeric powder and salt to taste.
• Keep stirring it until the paste becomes a little brown (it takes around 10 minutes).
• You can also identify it by looking at the wok, that the paste will start leaving the oil and paste will now no more stick on the wok.
• The paste is now perfectly fried.
• Now pour 3 cups of water to it, or as much thick gravy you want.
• Once the gravy comes to boil, start dropping the fried fish pieces and allow to boil for 15 minutes.
• Switch off the gas.
• Use coriander leaf for garnishing.
• This dish should be served with fresh steamed rice and squeeze some lime some juice on top.

FISH CURRY (KODAVAS-STYLE)

Steps:

• Cut each mackerel into 2 pieces and make a few cuts on the surface of the fish, so the marinade can permeate the inside of the fillets. Place fish into a bowl and add 1 1/2 tablespoons ground turmeric, 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, 2 teaspoons salt, and 2 to 3 cups water. Stir to dissolve salt and soak fish in the marinade, about 10 minutes.
• Discard liquid and rinse fish twice under cold running water. Return fish to a bowl and add chili powder, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons ground turmeric, 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, and salt to taste. Mix well and set aside.
• Combine cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, and mustard seeds in a dry skillet and toast over medium-low heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes, shaking skillet repeatedly so spices don't burn.
• Remove coconut meat from coconut and chop. Combine toasted spices, coconut, garlic, and ginger in a mortar and pestle and grind into a paste, adding a little water as necessary to get the consistency of the masala right. Mix in onions and green chili.
• Heat oil in a heavy pot. Add masala paste and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add marinated fish and check water level. You might need to add more water. Simmer until fish flakes easily with a fork and sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste.