Chettinad Fish Curry

CHETTINAD FISH CURRY

This is mostly prepared in Karaikudi side. This is my Grandma's recipe and my most favourite one. Its a must try recipe. It goes well with Seer FIsh (Vanjaram) and in the absense of that fish you can use Shankara fish. I have used Shankara here. 

Ingredients:

Shankara fish - 4 (cut into halves)

small onions - 1 cup (peeled and chopped)

tomato - 3 (make it into a fine puree)

ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

vadagam - 2 tsp (refer my Powders page)

salt to taste

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

red chilli powder - 1 tsp

masala powder - 1 tsp (refer to my powders page)

cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

corriander powder - 1/2 tsp

hing - 1/4 tsp

tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball soaked in 2 cups of water

curry leaves - a handful

To grind:

thuvar dal - 1 tsp

coconut - 3 - 4 tbsp

fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

saunf - 1/2 tsp

Method:

- in a pan add oil

- add the vadagam and fry well

- add the onions and curry leaves fry till the onions are transparent

- add the tomato puree, salt, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and fry well

- extract the juice from the tamarind

- to that add hing, red chilli powder, corriander powder, pepper powder, masala powder, cumin powder and mix well

- now grind "to grind" ingredients to a fine paste

- mix that with the tamarind mixture

- when the tomatoes are well cooked and when the raw smell of ginger garlic paste is gone, add the tamarind mixture and add some water

- bring that to a nice boil and close the pan with a lid

- after 5 mins add the cleaned fishes and give it one good mix

- close the pan with lid. 

- let that cook for 5 more mins and switch off the flame.

Cook this curry a night before / 2 - 3 hrs before serving. The juice will get blended with the fish and the curry will taste even more awesome.