Fish Kanthari | Bird's Eye Chilli Fish Fry

 We have seen many types of fish fries with varied tastes and flavours. Which one do you like the most?

I keep trying different fish fry and this is a recent try, liked by all at home. A bird's eye chilli (kanthari mulaku) fish fry ? These chillies are small but are very strongly spicy, a common variety found in Kerala. They are known to have beneficial effects to reduce cholesterol. You may be imagining the heat of these small chillies but don't worry the sour flavours and the coconut milk neutralizes the heat to a great extent. Also, this is a very less oil fish fry version. But the green masala coating really adds to the fresh fish, tastes delicious. Give this a try if you get fresh bird's eye chilli, or even green chillies work fine.

Here is a YouTube#shorts on this Fish Kanthari and here is another one with avoli fish.

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Cooking time ~ 10 minutes

Serves ~ 7-8 fish fry

Author ~ Julie

Ingredients

fish pieces 7-8 or 250 gms

bird's eye chilly (kanthari) 7-10

ginger 1' piece

garlic cloves 5-6

coriander leaves 1/4 cup

shallots 5-6

turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

pepper powder 1/4 tsp

salt to taste

lemon juice 1 tbsp

coconut milk (thick) 1/4 cup

oil to fry 2 tsp

Method

• Wash and clean the fish pieces, keep aside.
• In a blender jar, add the bird's eye chilly. Add the ginger, garlic, shallots, coriander leaves, lemon juice, turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt. Make a smooth paste.
• Add the paste to the fish pieces and marinate the fish pieces for half an hour.
• Heat a pan and add the oil (2tsp). Slide in the fish pieces. Cook on medium flame, flip the fish pieces. Add the remaining marinade and cook till crisp. 
• Pour the thick coconut milk half way and flip to cook both sides evenly till lightly browned.
• Serve warm for lunch with a salad, enjoy.

NOTES

* I have used avoli (pomfret) fish for this fry.

* Adding coconut milk helps to bring down the heat of the chillies and also gets converted into the coconut oil which helps in very less oil fish fry.

Varutharacha Koonthal Curry | Nadan Kanava Curry | Kerala Style Squid in Roasted Coconut Gravy (VIDEO)

Koonthal(kanava)/ Squid  is a good source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, iron and selenium. I started seeing this fish when we stayed in Trivandrum long back. Till then, I hardly knew this fish and so hardly tasted. There was a fishmonger woman who came door to door and sold fresh fish. She compelled me to try the kanava(koonthal) first time and I asked my neighbour aunty for the recipe, and she taught me this Squid Curry  Pull the head off, remove the innards and ink sac of the squid, and separate the tentacles. Scrub thoroughly with salt and clean water. The body sac and tentacles of the squid are edible. This fish when cooked tastes like meat, and  then I tried the Kanava (Squid Roast) which is a more delicious version of this fish. Do give it a try if you haven't tasted.

Watch the YouTube #shorts here.

Varutharacha koonthal(kanava) curry is yet another traditional Kerala style curry. The roasted coconut adds volume and sweetness to the gravy. This is a very healthy and delicious curry to be served with steamed rice. We had this curry with steamed rice, cheera thoran and chakkakuru mezhukuparetti. Do give this a try and enjoy !!

YouTube Link- 

 

 Preparation time ~ 20 minutes

Cooking time ~ 15 minutes

Serves ~ 5-6

Author ~ Julie

Ingredients

koonthal (kanava) /squid 500gms

kunjulli / shallots 3/4 cup sliced

green chillies 2-3 vertical slit

ginger 1.5 tbsp chopped 

tomato 1 medium-sized 

turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

pepper powder 1/2 tsp

garam masala 1/2 tsp

curry leaves  2 sprigs

water 1 cup

to roast

coconut 1 cup grated

coriander powder 1 tbsp

hot chilli powder 1/2 tsp

kashmiri chilly powder 2 tsp

water 1/2 cup

to garnish

coconut oil 1 tbsp

curry leaves, a sprig

Method

• Clean the squid and rinse properly. Cut in roundels if small ones. I had big sized squid, so cut in small rectangular pieces. Keep aside.
• Heat a pan and dry roast the coconut until browned and then add coriander powder and chilli powders on low flame, switch off flame. When cooled, add to a blender jar and add 1/2 cup water and grind to a smooth paste.
• Heat a mann chatti (clay pot) and add chopped ginger. To this add the sliced shallots, green chillies and curry leaves.
• Sauté until translucent. To this add the chopped tomato and cook till the tomatoes mash well. Then, add the turmeric powder, pepper powder and garam masala.
• Slide in the washed squid pieces and give a quick stir. To this, add the coconut paste and add half cup water to the blender jar, wash and add the remaining masala. 
• Also, add one cup water along with the salt. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes on medium flame. Check the consistency after 6 minutes and simmer again for 2-3 minutes on low flame. 
• Finally, add the curry leaves and pour a tbsp of coconut oil. Switch off flame, leave covered for 5 minutes. Serve warm with steamed rice. 

NOTES

* Switch off flame before the desired consistency of the gravy, as mann chatti will absorb moisture and gravy will thicken when cools.

* Dry roast the coconut till golden brown.

* Shallots are equally important in this curry, but if you don't get shallots, use one onion medium-sized sliced.

RELATED POSTS
* Squid Curry

* Prawns Fry

* Kanava (Squid Roast)

* Chettinad Prawns Curry

* Fish(Meen) Roast

* Chilli Garlic Prawns

* Chettinad Fish Fry

* Prawns Curry in Coconut Milk

* Goan Fish Curry

* Baked Fish Sticks

Fish Pulao(Rice) | Meen Choru (Step by Step Pics)

Yet another weekend is here !! People in the US are having a long weekend with Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Weekends whether it's long or just the Saturday- Sundays is special. But weekend cooking is something I don't like much and would like to relax and enjoy like all others sitting idle at home and so spend the least time in kitchen. I cook up recipes that need less time to put together but should be a hearty meal as well that all would love too. One pot meals are a great choice then, and I end up making Vegetable pulao, Achari Chana or Chicken Pulao (Quick Version) or erachi choru. 

This recipe of Fish Pulao or Fish Rice or Meen Choru is similar to  erachi choru and if you have some good firm fish in hand, you can give this a try. The rice gets good flavours of the fish and the only thing to keep in mind is to give this a try using fresh firm fish, else may not taste good. I got a fresh  neymeen(seer fish) and so used in this recipe, tasted delicious and all loved it. This recipe is not very spicy, as kids don't eat very spicy pulao. You can always modify the spicy levels as per tolerance. I have used jeerakashala(kaima) rice for the recipe, but you can always use basmati rice or bullet rice. Unlike fish biriyani this hardly takes any time to put together and ghee is not used, and am sure you will love it if you give this a try!!

Preparation time ~ 30 minutes

Cooking time ~ 30 minutes

Author ~ Julie

Serves ~ 5-6

Ingredients

to marinate

neymeen/ ayikoora/ seer fish  500 g

kashmiri chilly powder 1tbsp

pepper powder 1/2 tsp

turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

lemon juice 1 tsp

salt 1/2 tsp 

oil 3 tbsp

for cooking rice & masala

jeerakashala rice(kaima rice) 3 cups (600g)

water 6 cups

ghee 2tbsp

oil 3tbsp

onion, 2 medium-sized chopped

tomato 2 large chopped

coriander powder, 1 tsp

hot chilly powder 3/4 tsp

turmeric powder(manjal podi) 1/2 tsp

perinjeerakam(fennel seeds) 1 tsp

fenugreek powders, a good pinch

coriander leaves 1 tbsp

mint leaves 1tbsp

whole garam masala (1' cinnamon, 4-5 cloves,3-4 cardamom, bay leaves 2)

salt to taste

to grind

ginger 1' piece 

garlic 10 cloves

green chilli 2 

coriander leaves, 1 small bunch

mint leaves 1 small bunch 

Method

• Wash and clean the fish pieces under running water, rinse 3-4 times. Drain all water and keep aside. Marinate the fish using the ingredients mentioned above, except oil. Leave the marinated fish for 30 minutes-1 hour. Heat oil in  a pan and shallow fry the fish lightly so that the pieces don't break easily. Fry both sides, remove to a plate and use the remaining oil to make masala.
• Add the ginger, garlic, green chillies and coriander leaves, mint leaves. Wash and soak the jeerakashala rice for 20 minutes in another bowl.

• Add oil to another cooking pan, or use the same pan to sauté onions. To this add the whole garam masala pieces. Then add the chopped onions and sauté until it's lightly browned. Then add the ginger- garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell vanishes. To this add the spice powders on low flame and add the ground masala and sauté till the raw smell vanishes. Finally, add tomatoes, mix well and cook covered till the tomatoes mash nicely. 
• Add 1/ 4 cup water and slide in the fish pieces. Cook covered till oil separates on the surface of the masala.

• Then remove the fish pieces on a plate and add water (6 cups). Add salt and bring to a boil. Transfer the soaked rice and cook covered till 3/4th done(about 10 minutes). Then place the fish pieces over the rice in the last few minutes of cooking and simmer on low flame for another 5 minutes or till the water is absorbed.

• Garnish with chopped coriander and mint leaves. Leave covered for another 15 minutes and serve warm with cucumber raitha.

NOTES

* Add lemon juice while cooking rice if you feel the rice will stick.

* This is a medium spiced masala, if you like it more spicy add more green chillies to grind or replace the kashmiri chilli powder in marination to hot chilli powder.

Check out these quick one pot meal and try for sure- 

• Mexican Rice
• Ghee Rice (Neychoru)
• Achari Chana
• Chicken Pulao (Quick Version)
• Mushroom -Paneer Pulao
• Lemon Rice
• Tomato Rice
• Egg Fried Rice
• Mango rice 
• Carrot rice 
• Minty Veg- Chicken Pulao
• Erachi choru
• Vegetable pulao
• Quinoa Veg Pulao
• Kashmiri Pulao
• Paneer Pulao
• Mixed Veg Dal Khichadi

Shapille Meen Curry | Toddy Shop(Kallu Shappu) Meen Curry ~ Step by Step Pics

Toddy shops were a common entity in many parts of Kerala, where a mildly alcoholic beverage made from the sap of coconut palm trees were served along with food like kappa vevichathu with meen curry (tapioca with fish curry). Mostly the sides are spicy non- veg dishes like chicken curry, duck curry, fish curry, fish fry. But these days many of the toddy shops are shut, but still people prefer to taste the food that is served along with toddy. There are many famous toddy shops that have their own signature dishes as well. 

Shappile meen curry(Toddy Shop Fish curry) is one such dish that everyone longs to have, and I have tried recreating the same at home after watching a YouTube video where the making happens in a toddy shop in Kerala which I feel is authentic and there may be slight variations in the recipe as per the areas or district but more or less the curry is the same. Everyone at home loved this curry because the gravy is thick, spicy and delicious. I have used Kashmiri Chilli powder for this recipe, but you can always use hot chilli powder as well, then you need to reduce the amount of chilly powder as per tolerance levels. The recipe is almost similar to Kottayam style fish curry except that this curry uses tomato and shallots in this recipe which adds to the thickness of the gravy too. Do give this a try and enjoy !!

Few sides that you can enjoy with this meen curry(fish curry)

* Kappa Vevichathu (Cooked Tapioca)

* Kappa Puzhukku (Boiled Tapioca)

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes

Cooking time ~ 30 minutes

Author ~ Julie

Serves ~ 6

Ingredients

kera or any firm fish 1/2 kg

shallots 10-12 sliced

ginger 2' piece

garlic cloves 10-12 

green chillies 2-3 vertical slit

tomato(thakkali) 1 medium sized, round cut

kashmiri chilly powder(piriyan mulaku) 2 tbsp

hot chilli powder(mulaku podi) 1/2 tsp

coriander powder (malli podi)1 tbsp

turmeric powder(manjal podi) 1/2 tsp

uluva podi (fenugreek powder) 1/2 tsp

coconut oil 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp

gambooge (kudampuli) 4-5 pieces

mustard seeds 3/4 tsp

curry leaves 3-4 sprigs

salt to taste

Method

• Wash the kera or fish pieces by rubbing coarse salt. Then rinse under running water couple of times and  drain water, keep aside.

• Crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle. Slice the shallots, slit the green chillies and keep curry leave ready. Soak the kudampuli in half cup water and leave aside.
• In a wok, add the coconut oil(2tbsp). Splutter mustard seeds, then add sliced shallots along with green chillies and curry leaves. Keep sauteeing till light brown and then add the crushed ginger- garlic. Sauté until this mix becomes lightly browned and crisp. 

• Add turmeric powder on low flame, mix and then add coriander powder. Sautee till raw smell disappears. To this finally add both chilli powders and mix well. Add 2 tbsp of water and switch off the flame of the wok so that the spice powders don't get burnt.
• Transfer this mixture to the mann chatti(clay pot) and add a cup of water. Add the soaked kudampuli(gambooge) and add salt. Bring to a rolling boil.
• Slide in the fish pieces then and just swirl the mann chatti(clay pot) to dip the pieces in the gravy. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on low medium flame, add more water if you need a thinner gravy. Add salt accordingly and cook open till the gravy thickens as per your need. If you are using mann chatti(clay pot)
• Add the fenugreek powder(uluva podi). Mix well and add the sliced tomato and garnish  with curry leaves, pour a tbsp of fresh coconut oil on top. Switch off flame and leave covered for 30 minutes till the tomatoes get cooked in the residual heat and flavours of coconut oil seeps in. 

NOTES

* You can use mann chatti(clay pot) to sauté too but the mann chatti(clay pot) tends to get very hot when spluttering mustard seeds. I have had bad expeience in heating the mann chatti that's available in markets these days, those tend to break if heated strongly (not all but a few) and so I prefer sauteeing in  wok and then adding to mannchatti(clay pot). You can use whichever suits you.

* Use kashmiri chilly powder for best results to get thick gravy. Also, if you use hot chilli powder, then reduce the amount of chilli powder. The colour of the curry comes only with kashmiri chilly powder.

* Some toddy shops add 2 tsp of corn flour mixed with water to the gravy too to get the required consistency to the gravy. I haven't added as the gravy is quite thick with the shallots, use of coriander powder and tomato.

RELATED POSTS

* Trivandrum Style Fish Curry

* Fish Curry with coconut & tamarind (valan puli)

* Muringakka Meen Curry (Drumstick- Fish Curry)

* Prawns Roast(Chemmeen Roast)

* Meen Pollichathu(Baked Fish In banana leaves)

* Fish Molly 

* Chemmeen Achar(Prawns Pickle)

* Kanava(Squid) Roast

* Mathi Porichathu (Sardine Fry)

* Kottayam style Fish Curry 

* Meen- Manga Curry 

* Kanava(Squid) Curry

* Meen Achar 

* Fish (Meen) Roast

* Netholi(Anchioves) Peera Pattichathu

* Meen Pathiri

* Malabar Style Chemmeen Curry

Trivandrum Style Fish Curry | Thiruvananthapuram Meen curry ~ Step by Step Pics

Trivandrum style fish curry (Thirunthoram/ Thiruvananthapuram meen curry) is an easy fish curry that is very delicious to have with piping hot steamed rice. Being in Trivandrum for eight years gave me ample oppurtunity to interact with the people in Trivandrum and that's when I got to taste this curry too. Most of the hotels in Trivandrum serve this curry as a side with meals too. I have been preparing this curry once a while when get bored of the usual Kottayam style fish curry.

Drumstick is added along with fish pieces to this fish curry. The sweetness of the ground coconut along with the spices balances the flavors, tamarind ground along with pulp adds thickness to the gravy too. The cooked mango pieces adds to the sourness and bite pieces along with fish. You can add a sliced tomato in place of raw mangoes if not in season. Drumstick pieces are added along with fish, raw mangoes and fish. This same fish curry can be made with roasted coconut as well. I already posted a recipe with drumstick- fish combo so didn't add to this curry, I made thenga varutharacha meen curry with drumstick pieces(Roasted Coconut Fish Curry). Check that out if you wish to add drumstick pieces to this curry as well. 

Thrissur also has a similar kind fish curry but with a few changes. Thrissur style thengarachga meen curry can be viewed here in this post that I posted long back. In that the fish curry is finally tempered with shallots and curry leaves, also there is no use of fenugreek powder in that style. The final touch of pouring coconut oil on top along with curry leaves adds that Kottayam style touch to this delicious meen curry which I love the most. This fish curry can be made in a jiffy if you have cleaned fish ready to take a dip in the gravy. Do give this a try if you haven't tried yet and enjoy !!

KERALA STYLE FISH RECIPES-

• Netholi Peera Pattichathu
• Kottayam Style Meen Curry
• Meen Pollichathu in banana leaves
• Thrissur Style Fish Curry with Raw mangoes
• Kanava(Squid) Roast
• Prawns- Mango Curry(Chemmeen Manga Curry )
• Fish Cutlets
• Chemmeen Thengapaal Curry
• Fish Molly
• Meen Pathiri
• Choora- Muringakka Stir fry(Tuna-Drumstick Thoran)
• Prawns Ularthiyathu
• Fish Biriyani
• Thrissur Style Thengaracha Meen Curry
• Chemmeen Achar
• Prawns Fry (Nadan Chemmeen Varuthathu)
• Malabar Style Chemmmen Curry
• Chemmeen -Churakka Ularthiyathu
• Meen Achar (Fish Pickle)
• Meen Roast (Fish)
• Varutharacha Meen Curry(Fish-Drumstick Curry)
• Kappa-Meen Kozhukatta
• Mathi(Sardine) Fry
• Kanava(Squid) Curry

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Cooking time ~ 15 minutes

Serves ~ 5-6 

Author ~ Julie

Ingredients 

any firm fish (I have used vatta) 500g

*raw mango pieces 1 

green chilies 2 vertical slit

roasted fenugreek powder 1/4 tsp

curry leaves 2-3 sprigs

coconut oil 1 tbsp 

salt to taste

to grind

grated coconut 1.25 cups

kashmiri chilly powder 1 tbsp

hot chilli powder 1 tsp

coriander powder 1.5 tsp

turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

vallan puli 1 Amla size

shallots 4-5

*ginger 1/2’ Piece 

WATCH ON YOUTUBE-

 

  Method

• Wash the fish pieces and drain all water. Marinate the fish if following, else skip this step. Refer to notes for marination. Marinating is strictly optional, I usually marinate the fish pieces with hot chilli powder and lightly salt before refrigerating. You can skip that step and use a tsp hot chilly powder in the grinding of the masala itself. 
• Grind the coconut with Kashmiri chilly powder, hot chilli powder (if not used in marinating) coriander powder, turmeric powder, shallots, tamarind, ginger  by adding little water to a smooth paste.

• Add the fish pieces to a clay pot or mann chatti and then add cut mango pieces, green chillies, curry leaves, ground paste. To the mixer jar, add a cup of water and pour the cleaned masala along with water to the clay pot. Add a cup of water more and salt. Mix everything well to combine. 

• Bring the clay pot(mann chatti) overheat and simmer covered for about 10 minutes, or until the mango pieces and fish looks cooked, a light layer of oil floats on top of the curry too. In between, check the salt and consistency of gravy. Finally add in fenugreek powder, another sprig of curry leaves and pour a tbsp of coconut oil on top. Keep covered for 10 minutes till the curry leaves are wilted and a nice aroma of coconut oil seeps in the curry.
• Enjoy with hot steamed matta rice !!

NOTES

* I usually marinate the fish pieces with hot chilli powder and lightly salt before refrigerating. You can skip that step and use the half tsp hot chilly powder in the masala itself. 

*There is no use of ginger piece in any of the recipes that I referred, but I have used 1/2’ piece ginger while grinding as we are used to making fish curry by adding ginger. Omit if you don’t like the taste.

*The usage of raw mango helps to enhance the sour flavours and add pieces along with fish.

* I have used a nadan variety mango which had only mild sourness and so added one, you may add as per the sourness of the mango used. OR you many even add a sour (nadan) tomato too instead of mango.

* The colour of the gravy depends on the type of tamarind you use. The black tamarind yields a darker shade to the gravy. I have used black tamarind in this pic, but in the video have used light brown tamarind.

*You can also add drumstick pieces along with mango as well, I haven’t used.

* You can use any firm fish for making this curry like tuna (choora), avoli (pomfret) and even mackerel(ayala) works fine.

RELATED POSTS

• Mangalore Fish Curry
• Fish Koftas
• Special Basil Fish Tikka 
• Chettinad Fish Fry
• Malwani Prawns Curry
• Chilli Garlic Prawns
• Goan Fish Curry
• Baked Salmon in Lemon Sauce
• Chilli Fish
• Amritsari Fish Fry
• Baked Fish Sticks

Chilli Garlic Prawns ~ Step by Step Pics

Prawns are a great source of some of the major minerals like selenium,zinc, copper, phosphorous, copper and magnesium. They are also rich source of omega 3 fatty acids which help reduce the risk of heart disease and arthiritis. They also are rich source of unsaturated fats that help improve blood cholesterol levels. Kids love prawns the most in sea food but as prawns spikes uric acid levels I hold them back thinking of H. He also loves prawns if he gets to taste them. So cutting back prawns is the best idea. Indo chinese or chinese recipes is a big 'yes' here at home and they love munching them without any fuss. This chill garlic prawns is a perfect appetizer or can be paired as a side with egg fried rice or veg fried rice or even hakka noodles.

The garlic is added in the marination and sauteeing which adds a dominant flavor. The outer cover of the prawns is crisp soon after frying but the prawns are soft inside which when added to the sauces combines well. The soy sauce and chilli sauce is added in the recipe along with corn starch/ corn flour slurry to thicken the sauce. Though the list of ingredients may look long but it hardly takes any time to cook and put together. This tastes best when served warm, try this out !!

For more seafood recipes, check this link here.

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes
Cooking time ~ 20 minutes
Serves ~ 4-5
Author ~ Julie 
Ingredients
first marination
prawns 350 gms medium sized
chilli powder 1/2 tsp
pepper powder 1/2 tsp
salt to taste

second marination
all purpose flour (maida) 2 tbsp
corn flour 2 tbsp
garlic 1 tsp paste
garlic 1 tsp paste
egg 1
dark soy sauce 2 tsp

for sauce
minced garlic 1 tbsp
minced ginger 1 tbsp
medium sized onion 1 cubed
capsicum(green bell pepper) 1 cubed
green chillies 2 vertical slit
dark soy sauce 2 tsp
chilli sauce 1 tsp
pepper powder 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
corn flour 1 tbsp
white vinegar 1/4 tsp or lemon juice 1/2 tsp
water 2 tbsp

oil to fry

Method

• Clean the prawns, de vein and rinse under running water. Drain water completely and marinate using the ingredients listed under ' first marination'. Mix well and keep aside for half an hour(min) to overnight if possible.
• Thaw the prawns if you left for marination in refrigerator and then proceed to the 'second marination. Combine this marination well and leave aside for half an hour.

• Heat oil in a kadai/ wok and deep fry the prawns sliding one by one. Deep fry until golden on medium flame. Drain on a paper towel and keep aside.

• Take 2 tbsp of the fried oil in a non stick pan for making sauce and add in minced garlic and ginger. Saute until the raw smell disappears and then add in the vertical slit green chillies an then cubed capsicum and cubed onion. Make a slurry of corn flour/ corn starch in 2 tbsp of water, keep aside. Add in the sauces to the sauteed mix along with pepper powder and salt(note that soy sauce has salt in it so add accordingly). Add the corn starch slurry to thicken the sauce and then add the fried prawns. Give a quick toss on high flame and then finally add the vinegar or lime juice. Switch off flame.
• Serve warm with egg fried rice or veg fried rice.

NOTES

* Adding dark soy sauce to the second marination is optional if you don't wish to have a dark coloured fried prawns or use light soy sauce for marination and dark soy sauce while making the sauce.

RELATED POSTS
* Chilli Fish
* Chilly Chicken 

Meen Roast | Fish Roast ~ Step by Step Pics

Fish is an inevitable item in majority of the Keralite menu. And there is always abundance of fish in Kerala markets. Most of us malayalees are more than happy to devour a fish curry meal. Back home, I regularly prepare the Meen muakittathu or Meen Manga curry, sometimes its fish fry which kids love the most. But these days, fish available from markets are packed with chemicals especially formalin. The authorities have waken up now to get the issue corrected, there are squads deployed at check posts, railway stations to curb the defaulters. Hope these corrective measures would be fruitful. Its hard and paining to know that each of the food item whether its fish, chicken, fruits or vegetables including milk is adulterated. Where are we heading to ? Are we aiming to bring up an unhealthy generation? Are we going to make pharmaceuticals companies / hospitals profitable ? So many q's come up in my mind with 'no' straight answers.

Anyway, back to today's recipe, it's a different recipe than the usual curry or fry that we make. Fish roast somewhat tastes like a fish curry dried up, but it has some more uniqueness to this. Roasted fennel powder is added to this fish roast. The kokum / fish tamarind adds the richness of this roast. H is not a big fan of fish recipes, but my elder son loves fish in any form. The younger chap is a fan of fried fish only. This roast tastes best after 4–5 hours of resting time, as the masala seeps well in the fish pieces. We enjoyed with pathiris , but am sure it tastes good with idiyappam as well. Give it a try if you get hold of some firm fish.

Preparation time ~ 15 mins
Cooking time ~ 25 minutes
Author~ Julie
Serves ~ 4-5
Ingredients
to marinate
fish like tuna, 500 gms
hot chili powder 1/2 tsp
salt to taste

for masala
onion medium-sized, 2 sliced
shallots 1/2 cup sliced
ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
tomato 2 chopped
fennel seeds 3/4 tsp
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
kashmiri chilly powder 2 tsp
coriander powder, 2 tsp
kokum /gamboojia / fish tamarind 3–4 pieces
water 1/2 cup
salt to taste
curry leaves
oil (preferably coconut) 2 tbsp

Watch on YouTube -

Method

• Wash and clean the fish into pieces. Cut the fillet in small pieces and marinate using the ingredients listed under marination and keep for half an hour. Soak the fish tamarind /kokum after tearing the big pieces in small in another bowl of water (1/4 cup) and leave aside.

(the kokum here may look more than required for this recipe, as I had soaked the tamarind for another recipe as well)

• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan and add the fennel seeds. Add in the ginger garlic paste. Sauté till the raw smell of ginger-garlic paste disappears. Add in the onion, shallots and curry leaves. Sauté till the onion and shallots mixture is wilted and slightly browned. Add in the spice powders on low flame and then add in the chopped tomatoes. Add in the fish tamarind with water. Cook covered for a minute till the tomatoes turn mushy.  

• Slide in the fish pieces, add in 1/4 cup water and cook covered for 5–7 minutes on low medium flame. Uncover the lid and check if the fish is cooked, if not add another 1/4 cup water and adjust salt if needed. 

• Dry up all the moisture left in the masala and cook open on high flame for another minute. Switch off flame and keep covered for half an hour minimum before serving so that the fish gets coated well with the masala.

NOTES

* You can even use the regular tamarind instead of fish tamarind, but I feel fish tamarind adds more flavour to the fish recipes.

* Remove the kokum pieces when you feel the fish is cooked nice and good. In the pics, I haven't removed, but in video I have removed.

* Adding fennel powder remove any bad odour of fish and adds a nice flavour to the roast.

* You can use any firm, boneless pieces of fish or fillets to make this recipe.

* Add more oil if needed to get the masala form and if you wish the onion mixture to be fully wilted.

* You can add 1/2 tsp garam masala too.

Please check out a few more roast recipes, if interested-
* Kada Mutta Roast
* Chicken Sukka
* Egg Pepper Roast
* Special Chicken Ularthiyathu
* Beef Ularthiyathu
* Chemmeen(Prawns) roast
* Kanava (Squid) Roast
* Clams(kakkairachi)  Roast
* Chicken kerala style roast

Meen Achar | Fish Pickle (Step by Step Pics)

Fish pickle is a yummy delicacy that can be had with choodu choru(steamed rice). All the keralites who are away from home town would definitely love to carry this pickle in their packed luggages. This pickle can be preserved for a year. Though everyone at home loves fish pickle but I hardly make and preserve for a year as we do get fresh fish all throughout the year. I make small batches of this pickle which gets over in a week and my measures for the gravy of this pickle is not very watery too. If you wish to add more gravy to this pickle then add in water and vinegar. If you remember the chemmeen pickle posted long back which was made similarly and I made them using salad prawns. Any fresh and firm fish with a middle bone can be made as pickle. Usually I have seen my mom making pickle with tuna(choora). I have used velapara meen(don't know the english name of this fish) to make this pickle. The pickle can be served immediately after making but it tastes best on the third day of making when all the flavours are balanced, the gravy is absorbed and the fish is nice soft well coated with the gravy. Do try this out if you love pickles and if you eat fish. Check it out !!

Marination time ~ 1 hour
Cooking time ~ 20 minutes
Serves ~ a small bowl
Author ~ Julie
Ingredients
for marination
*meen / any firm fish 500 gms
ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp
* chilly powder/ mulaku podi 2 tsp
turmeric powder / manjal podi 1/2 tsp
lemon juice (1/2 of a big lemon) or 2 tsp
salt to taste

coconut oil to fry fish

for pickling
garlic  one handful sliced / 20 pods
ginger julienned(thin cut) 3 tbsp
green chillies sliced 4
curry leaves 2-3 sprig
kashmiri chilly powder 2-3 tbsp
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
fenugreek powder / uluva podi 1/2 tsp
asafoetida / kayam podi 1/2 tsp
gingelly oil / nallenna 3tbsp
vinegar 1/3 cup
water 1/2 cup
mustard seeds 3/4 tsp
fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp
salt

Method

• Wash and cut the fishes in bite size pieces. Marinate the fish using the ingredients listed above for atleast an hour. The more the marination, the better the flavors seep in.
• Add coconut oil in a kadai(wok) and add the marinated fish in batches( I have used very less oil as this oil can't be used for any other purpose and will have to be added to the pickle if its more. I just fried in less oil and so it took more batches to fry). Fry them till crisp, drain using a colander and place on a dry plate.

• In another pan, add gingelly oil and splutter mustard seeds, followed by fenugreek seeds. Slide in the sliced ginger and garlic. Saute until it turns slightly browned and is crisp. Add in the green chillies and curry leaves. Saute for another minute and  then add in the turmeric powder(manjal podi), fenugreek powder(uluva podi) and asafoetida(kayam podi). 

• Saute and then dissolve kashmiri chilly powder in 2 tbsp of water(prevents burning of chilly powder). Mix well without lumps and add to the pan. Add the fried fish oil too at this time (retains flavors, if you are not using this fried fish oil then you may have to add more gingelly oil than mentioned here in the recipe so that oil floats on top).Cook for 30 seconds until the oil starts floating on top. 

• Now, add the vinegar mixed with another 2 tbsp of water. Add salt as needed. Bring to a boil and add the fried fish pieces. Cook for 5 minutes until the fried fish is coated well with the masala. Turn off heat and let it cool completely.

P.S:  As the pickle sits, the fish pieces absorbs the gravy and gets well coated with the fish. I have taken the pictures on the next day after making so you can see there is no gravy left out. If you want a gravy in this pickle, then go ahead and add 1/2 more cup of warm water to the pickle when you add the vinegar.

NOTES
* You can use any large fish which are firm like tuna(choora), king fish(ayakoora), velapara. I have used velapara.
* You can even add vinegar to marinate. But I generally use lemon juice.
* Adding kashmiri chilly powder will give better colour to the pickle. You can use the hot chilly powder to marinate the fish and make pickle in kashmiri chilly powder.
* Add more water as needed to make the pickle gravy if you require that way. This way of making pickle hardly has any gravy on the third day after pickling.
* The pickle measures are given for making 500 gms of fish. You can easily double or triple the measures to make larger batches.
* The oil settles in the bottom of the bottle so its better to mix it thoroughly with a dry spoon frequently to prevent the pickle from getting spoiled.

Kappa- Meen Kozhukatta | Steamed Tapioca Fish Parcels( Step by Step Pics)

Most of us have fond memories of food from our childhood and food has a way of transporting us back to the past especially the biscuits, the toffees. Parle-G biscuits and Parry's toffees(green paper wrapped small little ones), orange mittai( round orange colored ones wrapped in transparent paper) were among the top listed ones. There were many organic and home grown veggies to add to that list too. My affair with tapioca as a child was hardly a month or two whenever we visited Kerala for vacations. And so my liking to the tuber never was much to be remembered. On the other hand, my sis was mad over tapioca.Gone are the days which will never come back, I wish the cycle just reverted for at least sometime to have some fresh tapioca plucked by our grandfather from our backyard.

Tapioca (kappa) was a big no to me as a child and there was slight liking by adolescence. But to be frank, I was never mad after kappa even then and I was evem more elated to know (after marriage) that my better half also didn't like tapioca(kappa) much. However, as time passed or as we moved out to US where we hardly get fresh tapioca(not so often) that we realized we were missing our humble tapioca(kappa). We developed a better taste for tapioca(kappa) and H also started eating. Now, believe me we have become an avid fan of tapioca(kappa). But kids are still in our phase of childhood I feel, they do eat but not very fondly. Hoping that they may also start liking tapioca as they grow up. And in the mean time, I try out a few good recipes to sneak in kappa for them. This is one such recipe. This is a similar recipe to meen pathiri but a little more easier and these kozhukatta have tapioca as the covering in disguise. Interesting right? Yes, I made them as a after school snack for kids and they just gobbled them up in no time.They loved the filling of fried fish with mildly spiced masala and the outer covering tasted yummy as well with the coconut,tapioca and rice flour. Do give this a try if you love tapioca.

Preparation time ~ 30 minutes
Cooking time
for frying ~  15 minutes 
for masala ~ 15 minutes
Steaming time ~ 10 minutes
Author ~ Julie
Ingredients
for cover

kappa(tapioca) 1 1/2 cups cooked and mashed
rice flour 1/2 cup
salt to taste
to ground coarse
coconut 1/2 cup grated
velluthulli 2 small pods

to fry
netholi 20 or 150 gms fish
chilly powder 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
pepper powder 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
oil 1.5 tbsp

for masala
onion 1,medium sized chopped fine
tomato 1/2 of 1 chopped small
curry leaves chopped
green chillies 1,finely chopped
ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
pepper powder 1/2 tsp
chilli powder 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
garam masala a fat pinch
lemon juice 1-2 tsp
salt to taste

Method

• Peel the skin of tapioca,cut in large cubes. Boil the tapioca like we usually do or refer this post link here to learn cooking tapioca. with enough water,cook it well and add salt. Leave to cool or use left over kappa puzhukku.
• In the meantime, make the covering. In a bowl, remove the stem of tapioca and any obvious fibrous strands. Mash it smooth( if the tapioca doesn't mash well then just go ahead and add the boiled tapioca to a mixer and pulse once or twice without adding any water). Now to this add coarsely ground coconut garlic mixture(garlic is optional, if you don't like the smell of garlic then omit it out. I add as it helps in digestion).
• Also, heat water in a pan and wait to boil. Add this water to the rice flour with salt in it. Make a dough like we do for idiyappam or kozhukatta. Mix this rice flour dough to the kappa(tapioca) mix once the rice flour dough is easy to handle. Knead to a nicely combined dough. The dough is a bit sticky unlike the kozhukatta dough.

• Wash the fish under running water and marinate the fish using the spices listed under fry. In a pan, fry the netholi(anchovy) with marination till lightly crisp(Don't overdo else the fried fish may turn hard). Remove on a plate and leave to cool. Once cooled, remove the prominent bones and break in small pieces. Keep aside.

• In a pan add oil,add ginger-garlic paste and saute till raw smell disappears. Saute onions followed by green chillies, curry leaves.Saute until the onion is translucent and slightly browned,add  all spice powders listed under masala and give a quick stir. Add in the chopped tomato and saute until mushy. Cook covered for a minute and then add the fish pieces. Cover and cook for another minute on low flame. Then combine well and switch off flame. Once cooled add in the lemon juice.

• Now, start making the kozhukatta or parcels. Apply a little oil on your palm and scoop out a large ball (slightly bigger than lemon size). Flatten the dough in your palm using the fingers or place the dough on a oiled parchment paper or banana leaf. place a tablespoon of filling in the center and cover the filling in semi circle. Place in a steamer lined with parchment paper or aluminium foil or banana leaves.

•  Repeat making rest of the kozhukattas and place them adjacent(Don't pile them one above the other as these may stick together and the filling may seep out). Steam cook for 7-10 minutes until done. Don't remove from the steamer immediately, wait for the steam slightly and to cool slightly. Gently remove on a plate. Serve warm just like that,enjoy !!

NOTES
* You can use plain rice flour kozhukatta if you stay in a place where you don't find kappa(tapioca). But tapioca has its own taste and flavor.
* Try selecting the less fibrous variety which has one single strand of tapioca. In Thrissur, we get the kolli type tapioca which may not be suitable to make the covering of kozhukatta.
* You can even use chicken or beef as filling and prepare the same kozhukatta. A non veg combo with kappa kozhukatta tastes yummy.
* I have used netholi(anchioves) but you may use sardines or any small kind fish, they taste good.
* If you have fresh banana leaves avaiable, then spread the kozhukatta mix as a layer on a piece of banana leaves like ada. Add the filling and close in halves. Steam cook in a steamer to make kappa ada.