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.

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.