Ingredients:

• 4 pieces – Fish steaks
• 1 tbsp – oil
• 10 – Shallots – chuvannulli, finely sliced
• 6 – Cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1 – green chilli, slit lengthwise
• 1-inch piece – ginger, finely sliced
• 1 sprig – Curry leaves
• 1 – Tomato (big size), cubed
• Spice paste:
• 2.5 tsp – Red Chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp – uluva podi (methi powder – Fenugreek powder)
• 2 tsp – coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 4 tbsp – water
• 4 tbsp -Dilute Red Chilli powder, uluva podi, coriander powder and Turmeric powder in water and keep aside.
• 2 kudampuli, medium size (soak in 1/4 cup water for one hour. Add 1/4 tsp salt. Strain and reserve water for cooking. )
• 1 cup – 200 ml -water
• 1/2 tsp – salt (or to taste)

Method:

1. Wash and clean fish pieces.
2. In a wide bowl, marinate fish pieces evenly with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder and 1/2 salt.
3. Cover and keep aside for half an hour.
4. Spice paste:
5. Heat oil in a meen chatty (preferably earthen pot) or a pan.
6. Add finely sliced onion. Fry on a medium heat till golden colour.
7. Add sliced garlic, ginger, slit green chilli and curry leaves and fry till crisp and golden colour.
8. Add cubed tomato and gently stir on a medium heat until well combined.
9. Add diluted spice paste and stir on a low heat for 2 – 4 minutes or until the raw smell goes and water dries up – well combined with other ingredients.
10. Add kudampuli along with strained water.
11. Stir all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 10 – 12 minutes or until it boils and thickens.
12. At this stage, add marinated fish pieces gently (Level of the water should be equal to fish pieces. It should not be above fish pieces).
13. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 8 – 10 minutes or until done – fish pieces well cooked – gravy slightly thickens (Cooking time depending upon the variety of fish).
14. Switch off the heat.
15. Consume the curry after one hour. Then it will absorb all flavours.
16. Serve with Rice – Boiled tapioca – Appam.
17. Recipe Courtesy: Niya’s World

Recipe courtesy of Niya