Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg – fish
• For the Coconut masala – paste:
• 5 – 6 tbsp – grated Coconut
• 8 – whole Red Chillies (soak whole Red Chillies in 1/4 cup water for 1 hour. Remove chillies and reserve water to grind the Coconut paste)
• 1/4 tsp – Methi seeds
• 1/2 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp – oil
• 5 – 8 – small onions, thinly sliced
• 1 inch piece – ginger, finely chopped
• 8 – Cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 – green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 1 sprig – Curry leaves
• 3 – kudampuli ( kokum ) ( soak kudampuli in 1/2 cup -water with 1 tsp – salt for 1 hour, remove kudampuli, strain out water and reserve for cooking purpose)
• 1/2 tsp – salt ( or to taste )
• 150 ml – water

Method:

1. For the coconut masala – paste:
2. Grind ingredients into a smooth paste in a small mixer bowl with reserved water in which red chilli soaked. Keep aside.
3. For the fish:
4. Wash and clean fish pieces. Drain out water completely.
5. In a bowl, marinate fish pieces with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Cover and keep aside for 1 hour.
6. Heat oil in a pan – meen chatty ( earthen pot ).
7. Fry sliced onions (shallots or normal onion) and fry until golden colour.
8. Add chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves and fry till golden colour.
9. Add soaked kudampuli, reserved water in which kudampuli soaked (it may be 2 tbsp), salt to taste and 150 ml water (less than 1 cup – 200 ml).
10. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium heat for 10 – 12 minutes until slightly thickens.
11. Add marinated fish, cover again and cook for 5 – 7 minutes until half done.
12. At this stage, add coconut paste, also adjust the salt if you required.
13. Do not add extra water now.
14. Gently mix all the ingredients.
15. Cover again and cook on a low heat for another 5 – 7 minutes or until done.
16. Consume this curry after minimum one hour. Then the gravy and fish will absorb all the flavours.
17. Serve with rice.
18. Recipe Courtesy: Niya’s World

Recipe courtesy of Niya