Fish Curry With Coconut

This hot and tangy Fish Curry makes for a perfect lunch on a weekend;     light enough not to knock you out,   but spiced enough to prompt a  hearty appetite.   And trust me it is so very easy to make.

Ingredients :

Fish -  750 grams to 1 Kg.

¼ coconut grated or ½ cup of desiccated coconut

10 dry chillies

1.5 tablespoons of coriander seeds

3 garlic seeds

8 pepper corns

¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder

1 onion

Ball sized tamarind

Grind above extra fine and keep aside.

For slicing : 1 or 2 green chillies slit,  1” ginger sliced thin,  1 small tomato, 1 small onion.

Clean and wash the fish.  Apply  salt and turmeric and wash after 10-15 minutes and keep aside.

Take a pan, add 2 – 3 tablespoons of oil and put the sliced masala and fry for 2 minutes,  then add the ground masala and fry for sometime.

 Add enough water to make a thick curry.  Add salt to taste.  Let the curry come to a rolling boil – say after 10-15 minutes.    Then add the fish and stir gently.  Let the fish boil in the curry for 10-12 minutes.   Keep down and garnish with cut coriander leaves.

Serve with boiled rice and a vegetable side-dish.

Fish Jeere-Meere

This is another dish from Roseline’s Kitchen.  Enjoy.

Jeere (is cumin seeds/Jeera)  and Meere (is black pepper corns/kali mirch)…… .

Cut fish, apply salt and turmeric and keep aside for some time.   Wash the fish again to remove the salt and turmeric and keep aside till needed.  Grind fine 8-10 dry red chillies, 1/4 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 3-4 flakes of garlic, 8-10 pepper corns, 3 big onions and a marble sized ball of tamarind.  

Season 1/2 onion in ghee and when the onion gets brown flecs,  add the masala and fry well till the ghee brims to the surface.  Add enough water to make a thickish curry; (not too watery but the curry should coat the spoon when mixing).    Add salt to taste and let the curry come to a rolling boil.  Add the fish and boil for approx. 5 minutes.  Do not stir after fish is added.

Serve with boiled rice and a vegetable side-dish.

FISH AMOK (Cambodia)

Ingredients for kroeung paste
5 dried red chilies (soaked, drained and chopped into a paste)
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp galangal (cut small – if not available, use ginger)
1tsp lemongrass (thinly sliced)
Zest of 1/4 kaffir lime
Capsicum – (1/2) chopped into small bits -to be added later.
1 tsp salt
Directions for kroeung paste
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend to a thick paste. Alternatively (and more traditionally) this can be created with a mortar and pestle.

Fry the above paste in 1 teaspoon of butter till fragrant. Cool and keep aside. Add chopped capsicum and salt.

Ingredients for amok
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp kaffir lime leaves
3 chili peppers
500 g fish (any meaty fish)
3/4 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup additional creamk – kept aside
1 egg, beaten

Slice the fish thinly and set aside.

Slice the kaffir lime leaves and cayenne peppers thinly. Stir the kroeung paste into 1 cup of coconut milk. When it has dissolved, add the egg, fish sauce and sliced fish. Then add the remaining coconut milk and mix well.

Make the banana leaf cups, and add the fish mixture and steam for 15-20 minutes, then put the coconut cream on top and the thinly sliced kaffir leaves and cayenne peppers. Steam further until the mixture is solid, but still moist.

When ready, turn the amok over onto a plate and wipe away excess liquid with a napkin.

Tuna Fish Rolls

Ingredients:
2 Tins of Tuna Fish – remove flakes from tin, without the oil) and crush with fork
2 Nos. medium onions – chopped fine
3 Nos.Green chillies – chopped fine
½ tsp each –ginger and garlic paste
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp crushed fresh pepper powder
2 medium potatoes – boiled, and mashed
A small bunch of coriander leaves – washed and chopped fine
Handful of mint leaves – washed and chopped fine
Salt to taste
Bread crumbs

Preparation:Mix all ingredients listed above together in a large bowl. Form balls and keep in a tray. On a cutting board add some bread crumbs and roll the ball into a cylinder shape – rolling them back and forth on the board with your hands. Form all the rolls this way. Beat one egg. Dip each roll in the egg then roll them in a plate of bread crumbs and shallow fry till they turn golden brown. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Lady Fish Curry

Hi folks….why this Fish is called Lady Fish is something I dont know.  Something fishy there !!  :);)  Probably because of its good looks, and long slender shape!!!!!!   For those who know why, please enlighten me  :):).  Called “Kane” in Mangalore,  this is one fish that I approve of.  If you thought that a nice Fish Curry cannot be made with desiccated coconut….. think again!!!  This is one curry which I made with desiccated coconut…so if you dont have fresh coconut in your Pantry/Store, worry not, “Bring On The Chef In You’ comes to your rescue.
Ladies, please try it, especially for all those men folk who aint lucky to have a fish named after them called ‘Man Fish’ .

Ingredients :
1 Kg. Lady Fish
8-10 red chilies or two tablespoons of red chilly powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 -1/2 tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
6-8 peppercorns
1-1/4 cup desiccated coconut
4 cloves of garlic
1 small onion (+ one for slicing and bagar)
1″ piece ginger
1 tomato -small
lemon sized tamarind
2 green chilies
Vinegar (1/2 teaspoon- optional)

Cut and wash fish, apply little salt and turmeric and keep aside. Then wash again and keep aside in a plate.

In a dry grinder, add the red chilies, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, coriander powder, turmeric and peppercorns. Grind to a fine powder and add to the wet grinder.
Put the desiccated coconut in the dry grinder and spin it till the desiccated powder is very fine. Add this to the wet grinder.
To the wet grinder also add 1/2 onion, 4 cloves of garlic, tamarind, add water and grind all to a fine paste.
Slice onion, ginger (into thin slices), slit the green chilies, and cut tomato into half. Keep this aside for later use (not to be ground).
In a deep pan, add 3-4 tablespoons of oil and add half sliced onion. Fry till it gets brown specs, then add the sliced ginger, the other half onion, green chilies and tomato and just stir of half a minute. Then add the ground masala and fry it for a minute of two. Add enough water to make a thick curry (roughly 2 cups or more). Add salt to taste and if required, add 1/2 a teaspoon of vinegar. Bring to a rolling boil and when it starts bubbling very furiously, add the washed fish and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Do not stir the fish or it will break, but hold the vessel with two kitchen cloths and shake it from side to side.

Just before serving, garnish with a few cut coriander leaves.

Serve with rice and a vegetable side-dish.

Fish Shashlik

Fish Shashlik :

Fish Fillets – ½ Kg  (Cut into cubes, add salt and lemon, then wash and keep aside-this ensures elimination of the fishy smell)
Onions 2  (Cut into cubes same dimensions as fish)
Capcicums 2 (Cut into cubes same dimensions as fish)
Tomato 2   (Cut into cubes – I did not use;  but you can)
Salt – 1 tsp
Chilly Powder 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste 1 teaspoon
Cumin (roasted and crushed) 1 tsp
Lemon juice of 1 lemon
Garam Masala Powder or All Spice Powder – 1 teaspoon
Oil 2 tablespoons

Mix all together.  Put on skewers and BBQ/Grill or shallow fry in little oil.  Brush with BBQ sauce now and then.

BBQ Sauce :

Green chilles 2 (chopped into slanting slices)
Green Chillies 1 (finely minced)
Sugar 1 teaspoon
Chillie Powder 1 teaspoon
Salt -1/2  teaspoon
Garlic paste ½ teaspoon
Vinegar 2 Tablespoons
Tomato ketchup 5 tablespoons

Take oil in a small pan when heated add garlic and fry for a few minutes.  Then add all other ingredients and cook for 5-8 minutes.  Cool.   Keep ½ of the sauce for basting, and ½ to be used as a dip at serving time.

Garlic Naan :

They don’t look so good in the pictues,  but they tasted awesome, soft and with a hint of garlic.   I fried them on a tawa but you could also bake them in a hot oven.  This is one recipe that you should try out.

For the dough : 2-1/2 cups plain flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1-1/2 teaspoon yeast granules, 2 tablespoons ghee, 4 tablespoons yogurt, 1 teaspoon garlic, cut very fine,  1 teaspoon onion seeds/kalongee, coriander leaves 1 tablespoon cut fine, honey 1 tablespoon.

Mix all the above ingredients.  If the dough is still too hard add two tablespoons of water and knead till a soft dough is ready.   Put in a greased bowl and cover with cling wrap and leave to rise for 1-1/2 hour.   The dough will have doubled by now,  punch it back and roll into disks and keep on a flat greased platter to rise.  Bake in a 200 deg. C oven for 5-8 minutes till puffed up or fry on a tawa till it is done (I did it on a tawa).  Brush with garlic butter/plain butter.  Serve hot with Fish Shashlik.

Kappa Meen Curry

Kappa or Tapioca is a staple food in Kerala. It is served in different forms accompanied with Fish Curry, Beef or with Chilli Chutney.   I have a few friends from Kerala at work and they always carry their lunch to work.   Once in a way they share their lunch with me and I had the pleasure to taste this Kappa Meen Curry.   I managed to get the recipe finally and tried it out at home.   

 If you like spicy food,  then this is for YOU.

For the Kappa  (Tapioca side-dish)    :

1 large Tapioca  Washed, peeled and chopped into cubes
½ cup grated coconut
4 green chillies finely chopped
2 shallots (malbari onions) chopped
½  tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon coconut oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
3-4 red chillies
1 spring curry leaves

Add salt and ¼ tsp turmeric and water and cook the tapioca in a pressure cooker (or boil in a vessel till soft)

Crush coconut, onions, green chillies and ¼ tsp turmeric and little salt in a pestle (or grind coarsely in a blender).

When the Tapioca is soft and all the water has evaporated, add the coconut mixture and cook for a further 2 minutes.   In a pan heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds, dry chillies (torn) and curry leaves and then pour into the tapioca mixture and mix.  Serve with fish curry.

Meen (fish)  Curry :

7-8 sardines gutted and washed thoroughly  (soak with salt & turmeric and then wash again-this removes the fishy smell)
6-7 pearl onions thinly sliced
3-4 green chillies slit
4 garlic cloves
2” piece ginger cut into thin slices
2-3 sprigs curry leaves
½ tsp fenugreek powder
2-3 small pieces of tamarind  or kokum
2 tsp red chilly powder
¼ tsp turmeric power
2 tbsp coconut oil
Salt to taste
1 ¼  cup water

Soak the tamarind/kokum  in water.

Heat oil in a pan,  when medium hot throw in curry leaves, add onion, ginger, green chillies, garlic and sauté.  Add turmeric powder and chilly powder and sauté.  Then add powdered fenugreek and then add the tamarind/kokum water and bring to boil till gravy thickens.  After it comes to a rolling boil add the fish, cook for 5-6 minutes.  Before putting off the fire, take some oil in your palm and crush some curry leaves in the oil and add to curry.

എങ്ങനെയുണ്ട് കപ്പ-മീന്‍ കറി

എങ്ങനെയുണ്ടായിരുന്നു  കപ്പ-മീന്‍ കറി

പുഴുക്ക്

(That translated means…please do enjoy your Kappa and Meen Curry special).

Fried Fish in Special Batter

Fish is really good for you as it is not only packed with vitamins and minerals but is also a major source of Omega-3 fatty acids.   While many of you may disagree,  I think majority like fish which is fried in  batter.    There are hundreds of way to fry fish and this is one of them,  which is a refreshing change from the normal way.  Care to try it ?

4 Fish Fillets (200 grm each) – (I used Hammour), ¾ teaspoon yeast, 2 tablespoons + ½ cup milk,  ½ cup + 6 tablespoons maida, ½ cup cornflour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, Salt to taste,  Pepper to taste,  1 egg yolk,  Oil for deep-frying,   1 lemon + 1 onion + few pine nuts (for garnish)

 Sprinkle a little salt & pepper on the fish fillets.  Dissolve yeast in two tablespoons of warm milk.  Leave in a warm place.  Sift together half a cup of  maida, half a cup of cournflour, baking powder and salt.  Mix the egg yolk to the yeast mixture.  Add this mixture to the flour and whisk well.  Add  milk and continue  to whisk to form  a tick smooth batter. Add pepper, cover and rest the batter to ferment slightly.   Heat oil in a deep-frying pan.  Roll the fish fillets in 6 tablespoons of maida and shake off the excess flour.  Dip in the batter and deep-fry in hot oil till golden brown.  Drain on kitchen rolls. 

Just before serving sprinkle with lemon juice and garnish with fried onions, lemon slices and pine nuts.  Can serve with Sauce  (recipe below).

Beat well 1 cup mayonnaise and 1/4 cup curds till light and fluffy.  Add 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley/corriander, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 onion chopped and salt and white pepper to taste.  

King Fish Curry

Fish and seafood is the staple diet of Mangaloreans.   I am going to share with you a typical Mangalorean Fish Curry and hope you try it out and let us know how you liked it.   King Fish,  also called Seer Fish or Surmai, is a favourite with many for its distinct taste.   I usually keep aside some good-looking fish steaks for frying and with the remaining I churn out a curry.   

Recipe :  Cut, clean and wash the fish.  Apply salt & turmeric and keep it aside.   Grind to a very fine paste some red chillies (4 madras + 6 kashmiri chillies or use 2 tablespoons chilly powder or 1-1/2 tablespoons bafat powder),  2 tablespoons coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon jeera, 6 peppercorns, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, 1 small onion,  size of a small lime tamarind, 4 flakes of garlic and ½ fresh coconut (or 1.5 cups of dessicated coconut).  It is important to grind the paste very very fine.  This recipe makes a fairly mild curry,  which we like,  however,  if you prefer to have it spicier increase the chilly content.

In a medium sized vessel add 3 tablespoons of oil and fry the masala well.  When done add sliced masala (called ‘shindap’ in Mangalorean) of ½ onion, 1 tomato cut into 2 pieces, ½” ginger thinly sliced and 2 green chillies).   Then add water and make a curry.  Add salt to taste and 1 teaspoon of vinegar.  Let the curry come to a rolling boil (bubble and froth).  Then add the fish pieces (which should be washed in water and after the marinade) and simmer till done, say 5-8 minutes.  Do not stir the fish with a spoon/ladle but hold the vessel with tongs/kitchen towel and stir from side to side, to ensure that the fish pieces stay whole and do not crumble.   Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice,  a vegetable side-dish and some fried fish steaks.

King Fish Steaks Fry :

Apply salt and turmeric to 4 fish steaks  and keep aside for 5-10 minutes, after which wash and pat dry.  Make a paste of  2 tablespoons chilly powder/or bafat,  2 tablespoons white vinegar,  ½ teaspoon turmeric and salt to taste.   Apply all over the fish steaks and  keep covered for 10-15 minutes.   Heat oil in a shallow frying pan and when hot, add the fish steaks and fry on both sides for 2-3 minutes each.   Serve piping hot.

Pomfret Fish Curry

This recipe comes to you from our fish specialist, Joyce Alvares. Since she was having issues with her camera, I made it and photographed it for her. The verdict of all who tasted it was a big thumbs up. Ingredients : For masala : 5 green chilies, 2 tablespoons coriander (whole), ½ teaspoon mustard steeds, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon turmeric, 6 cloves of garlic, 1” ginger, 1 onion, little tamarind, bunch of coriander leaves, few mint leaves, 1 big cup coconut (I used desiccated coconut). F or slicing and adding to the curry-1/2 onion, 1 tomato, 1 green chili, few slices of ginger. Clean, wash and apply salt and turmeric to the fish. Rinse in water and keep aside. Grind to a very fine paste all the ingredients for the masala. I powder the dry ingredients separately in the spice grinder and add to the other ingredients in the blender/grinder. Also ground the desiccated coconut in the spice grinder to get a very fine paste. Make the paste and keep aside. In a vessel put some oil and add the onion, when it is slightly brown add the ginger, tomato and green chili and sauté for a few seconds. Add the ground masala and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add water and salt and let the curry boil till comes to a rolling boil. Add the fish and simmer for 5-8 minutes. Do not stir with spoon after the fish is added or the fish will break but gently shake the vessel holding it with two kitchen serviettes so that it is well mixed. Garnish with a few springs of coriander leaves and serve with rice and a side-vegetable.