The recipe I'm posting today was given by a friend who hails from a region called Karaikal from South Tamil Nadu. We are a sea food loving people and so I dug this recipe from one of the old recipe books that my mum used to maintain. They have a whole lot of recipes complied from family and friends. Here I have used shallots as we keralites use shallots and coconut for most of our cooking. The taste of shallots makes a lot of difference from the normal onions. I used Pomfret to make this curry, but my friend always makes it using King Fish or Sear Fish.
Ingredients:
For the Chettinad paste:
Shallots: 1 cup, cleaned and cut coarsely
Garlic: 8 cloves
Tomatoes: 1 big, ripe, chopped
Fresh coconut: 1/3 cup, grated
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds: 1 tsp
Black peppercorns: 2 tsp
Oil: 2-3 tbsp
For the Gravy:
Fish: 500 gm
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds: 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds: 1/3 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Coriander powder: 2 tsp
Kashmir red chilli powder: 3/4 tbsp
Green chillies: 2 whole
Tamarind pulp: 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water: 1 cup
For Garnish:
Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Method:
1. Clean and wash the curry cut fish pieces. Smear with a little salt and turmeric powder. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a kadai, add the cumin, fenugreek and fennel seeds. When they stop spluttering add the peppercorns, stir till you get the aroma of pepper.
3. Add the chopped shallots and the garlic cloves, stir fry till the raw smell goes or the shallots turn golden brown in color.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and keep stirring till they turn mushy. Add the grated coconut and stir till the coconut turns lightly brown.
5. When cool, blend the masala using water, needed to make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
6. Heat oil in an earthen kadai, when hot add the fenugreek, fennel and cumin seeds, when they stop spluttering, add the curry leaves.
7. Add the chettinad paste and cook on slow flame as the earthen kadai once hot remain very hot. If cooked on medium or high flame the is a chance to get stuck at the bottom.
8. Keep stirring for 4-5 minutes, by then the aroma of the masala will be got. Add the coriander and red chilli powders, stir well.
9. Add the tamarind pulp, whole green chillies and salt, mix well for 5-6 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and mix well, cover and cook on medium flame till the gravy is highly boiling.
10. Add the fish slowly to the gravy and swirl the kadai, do not stir, or else the fish pieces can break. Cook covered for 4-5 minutes and turn off the gas.
11. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.
12. Serve hot with rice, chapati or rice pattris.
Ingredients:
For the Chettinad paste:
Shallots: 1 cup, cleaned and cut coarsely
Garlic: 8 cloves
Tomatoes: 1 big, ripe, chopped
Fresh coconut: 1/3 cup, grated
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds: 1 tsp
Black peppercorns: 2 tsp
Oil: 2-3 tbsp
For the Gravy:
Fish: 500 gm
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds: 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds: 1/3 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Coriander powder: 2 tsp
Kashmir red chilli powder: 3/4 tbsp
Green chillies: 2 whole
Tamarind pulp: 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water: 1 cup
For Garnish:
Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Method:
1. Clean and wash the curry cut fish pieces. Smear with a little salt and turmeric powder. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a kadai, add the cumin, fenugreek and fennel seeds. When they stop spluttering add the peppercorns, stir till you get the aroma of pepper.
3. Add the chopped shallots and the garlic cloves, stir fry till the raw smell goes or the shallots turn golden brown in color.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and keep stirring till they turn mushy. Add the grated coconut and stir till the coconut turns lightly brown.
5. When cool, blend the masala using water, needed to make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
6. Heat oil in an earthen kadai, when hot add the fenugreek, fennel and cumin seeds, when they stop spluttering, add the curry leaves.
7. Add the chettinad paste and cook on slow flame as the earthen kadai once hot remain very hot. If cooked on medium or high flame the is a chance to get stuck at the bottom.
8. Keep stirring for 4-5 minutes, by then the aroma of the masala will be got. Add the coriander and red chilli powders, stir well.
9. Add the tamarind pulp, whole green chillies and salt, mix well for 5-6 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and mix well, cover and cook on medium flame till the gravy is highly boiling.
10. Add the fish slowly to the gravy and swirl the kadai, do not stir, or else the fish pieces can break. Cook covered for 4-5 minutes and turn off the gas.
11. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.
12. Serve hot with rice, chapati or rice pattris.
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