30 FISH CURRY/ MEEN KUZHAMBU

Fish curry/ Meen kuzhambu(kulambu)
Recipe shared in by my friend Sheela, who makes excellent non- veg dishes. This fish curry goes well with idli/dosas and of course rice.

Red Onion - 3 medium
Tomato - 2
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Tamarind - 1 small lime size( soaked in water for 20 mts and pulp extracted)
Dhaniya powder - 2 tbsp
Chilli powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1.2 tsp
Methi/fenugreek seeds - few count( less than 10)
Fish ( salmon/tilapia/cat fish)
Oil - 2 - 3 tbsp


Wash and cut fish into thick slices , to it add 1 tbsp of chilli powder,little turmeric powder and salt and marinate for 1 hour. Later preheat oven to 400 degrees and place the fish slices on a greased baking dish for 10 - 12 minutes. In this recipe the fish added is spanish mackerel. To know more about it click here

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add cumin seeds..wait for few seconds and add thickly chopped onions and half of curry leaves... fry till golden brown. Remove and cool and grind to a paste. Keep it aside.

Heat a non stick pan/kadai and add mustard seeds, methi seeds, remaining curry leaves( can also substitute the tempering ingredients with onion vadagam/thalicha vadagam). When they pop out add chilli powder and dhaniya powder, mix once and immediately add the onion paste. Reduce flame and fry well( usually takes long), till oil leaves out from the side. Next add tomato paste( can also blanch the tomatoes in hot water and then grind the tomatoes to a fine paste), turmeric powder and tamarind pulp. Cook till the raw smell leaves and oil leaves out.

Pour some water( for best taste use water washed out from rice the second or the third water which gives good taste to the curry - optional). Allow it to boil and add salt and the fish slices. Remove when the fish starts to come up . That is the stage when you know it is done. Enjoy your fish curry with idli/dosas and rice. Usually my hubby and few friends here prefer this with idli/dosas.

Variation
1. Can add a slice of raw mango when the curry is boiling to increase the taste.
2. Crush a piece of garlic and add to the curry just before removing and close the pan to enhance the taste.