You'll need:
Fish (any fresh water fish)- 1/2 kg
Red chilly powder- 2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tablespoon
Tamarind (kudampulli)- 5 pieces / 1 tablespoon if tamarind paste
Small red onions- 10, sliced in small round shapes
Green chilly- 2, cut into half
Ginger & Garlic- cut in long slices
Curry leaves - a hand-full
Mustard seeds- a teaspoon
Dry red chilly- 4
Salt- to taste
Cooking oil- to fry
Coconut oil- 1 tablespoon
How to make:
- In a small bowl, mix the turmeric powder and red chilly powder with little water and keep aside; also keep tamarind soaked in water;
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a wide cooking vessel, crackle the mustard, add the dry red chillies broken into half;
- To it, add the sliced red onions and fry till they turn brown; also add halved green chillies, sliced ginger and garlic;
- Then, add the mixed powders and the curry leaves and fry it till the oil is visible on top or rather till the mix is dry;
- Now add 2 glasses of water to it and let it boil;
- Then add the tamarind water and put in the cleaned and sliced fish and let it cook without any lid in a slow flame;
- Then just tilt the vessel in a circular motion to let the fish be covered in the masala. Do not stir in with any cutlery as the fish may break.
- Finally, garnish with coconut oil after taking the curry off the flame.
Fish Fry- Mum's Style
You'll Need:
Filleted fish - 1kg (I use Basa fillets)
Red chilly powder - 2 tbsp
Big Onion - 1
Salt - To taste
Coconut Oil - To Taste
Cooking Oil - To Fry
How to make:
- Grate the onion into a plate, the onion should be in a paste form (an alternative would be to use the grinder to make the onion paste),
- To the grated onion, add the chilly powder, salt and the coconut oil and mix well,
- Marinate the fish with this mixture and keep aside for a minimum of 3 hrs and max over-night,
- Heat the pan and pour required oil to shallow fry the fish,
- Once the oil is hot, add the fillets one by one and remember not to crowd them in the pan,
- You can also put few curry leaves into the oil while frying,
- Flip the fillet only when the side immersed in oil seems to be done.
Fish Curry- A Bengal Recipe from a book by Mridula Baljekar
You'll Need:
Prawns or any filleted fish - 675 gms
Dry red chillies- 4
Coconut- 1cup (shredded)
Black Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
Large Onion - 1 (chopped)
Bay Leaves - 4
Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped)
Garlic - 2 cloves (crushed)
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Dry red chillies- 4
Coconut- 1cup (shredded)
Black Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
Large Onion - 1 (chopped)
Bay Leaves - 4
Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped)
Garlic - 2 cloves (crushed)
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Salt - To taste
Tomatoes - 4 (finely chopped)
Salt - To taste
Tomatoes - 4 (finely chopped)
Vegetable Oil - 1 tbsp
How to make:
- If using prawns, peel and de-vein them and if using any other filleted fish, cut them into medium size chunks.
- In a pan, without any oil, crackle the mustard seeds and add the dry red chillies. Then add the chopped onion and dry-fry over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Now add the coconut and fry until the mixture begins to brown. Stir all the ingredients continuously to ensure even browning and to avoid burning the coconut. Keep this aside to cool.
- Grind the above mixture in a blender or food processor to a coarse paste.
- Heat the vegetable oil in the pan and fry the bay leaves for a minute. Add the chopped ginger and the garlic, and fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the coriander powder, chilli powder, salt and the coarse paste and fry for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and pour in 3/4th cup of water and simmer for 5-6 minutes or until thickened.
- Now add the fish to the above and cook for about 4-5 minutes or till the fish is well done.
- Serve the curry on a ring of plain boiled rice and enjoy.
