Fish curry (without adding coconut)

                                                 Meen mulakitathu 

Cuisine:Kerala

Serves-3-4

Ingredients

Fish-1/2  kg

Onion -1

Tomato-1

Salt to taste

Coconut oil 1 tsp to garnish

Water as needed for gravy 

FOR SEASONING:

Oil-1 tbsp

Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

Curry leaves-1 -2 sprigs

Ginger-1 tbsp

Garlic-6-8 pods

Green chilly 2- 4

Shallots-4 -5

FOR THE SPICE PASTE

Red chilli powder-2 tbsp

Kashmiri red chilly powder-2 tsp

Coriander powder-2 tbsp

Fenugreek  powder-1/4 tsp

Malabar tamarind /kudampuli -2-3 pieces

Water as needed

Method

1.Wash & clean  the fishes and keep them aside.

2.Chop all the veggies needed and keep them ready .Soak the kudampuli in 1/4 cup of water

3.Take a small bowl add all the spice powders into it and make a thick solution of it by adding little water.Keep the spice paste aside.

4.Now heat a kadai ,once smoke starts coming (it is an indication that the vessel is heated) add 1 tbsp of oil into it.

5.Now add all the ingredients given under the label for seasoning.Saute them till they attain a soft texture.

6.Time to add in the sliced onion and tomatoes along with little salt.This is totally optional.If you do not want to add onion and tomato you can skip this step.Saute  them till they are well cooked .no need to brown them.

7.Pour in the spice paste along wit the kudam puli. Mix them well.Saute till the raw taste of the powders goes off.

8.Add water according to your gravy requirement and bring it to a boil.Do a taste test at this step and adjust the spices .You can add all the spice powders again if needed.Mix well.

9.Once the water starts bubbling lower the flame and add the cleaned fish pieces.Cover and cook till they are done.

10.Do a final taste test .Our curry is ready to serve..Enjoy with steamed rice..!!!

Note :  For better taste cook it the previous night itself and serve the next day again after boiling it one more time.As this will allow the flavors to blend so well that your family will like it and praise  Cooking your skill..  

     

     You are free to increase or decrease the amount of spice powders according to your family's taste preferences. If the curry became so tangy feel free to remove the  1 or 2 kudampuli pieces from the curry.

                                                                                 

Fish thali

 

FISH FRY ,RED BOILED RICE,FISH COOKED WITH SHALLOTS AND SPICY TANGY FISH CURRY (no onion and ,tomatoes were just used for garnishing)