Kerala Style Fish Curry in Ground Coconut Gravy
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
  • Anchovies, bone removed- 25
  • Raw mango, diced- 1 (or use tamarind juice)
  • Green chilies, cut half lengthwise- 3
  • Curry leaves- 1 sprig
  • Salt- 1½ tsp
To grind
  • Coconut- 1½ cups
  • Chili powder- 2 tsp (for less heat add Kashmiri chili powder)
  • Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
  • Small onions, chopped- 4
  • Water- ½ cup
For tempering
  • Oil- 3 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
  • Small onions or shallots, minced- 2
  • Dried whole red chilies- 2
  • Curry leaves- 1 sprig
  • Fenugreek seeds- 1 tsp
Instructions
  1. Any kind of fish can be used for making this curry- pomfret, sardines, kingfish, etc.
  2. To a blender jar, add the above-mentioned ingredients "to grind" along with water & grind to a smooth paste.
  3. In a saucepan or preferably in a clay pan: combine the anchovies or any other fish, raw mango, green chilies, curry leaves along with the ground coconut mixture, and add salt.
  4. Add 1 cup water to thin down the gravy, and combine well.
  5. If you don't have raw mango, add tamarind extract instead- soak 2-inch slice of fresh tamarind in ¼ cup of warm water for 5 minutes. Combine the tamarind well in water, strain the tamarind extract and add it to the curry. If using concentrated tamarind pulp, use very less ½ tsp or so.
  6. Place the pan over medium heat, cover the pan with a lid, and cook till the gravy comes to a slight boil.
  7. If the gravy is too thick you could add some more water- ¼ cup to ½ cup water to thin it down.
  8. Taste the gravy and add more salt if needed.
  9. If you want the curry to be very spicy add some more chili powder as per your needs.
  10. Lower the heat and cook covered till the fish has cooked well, remove the pan from the heat and keep it covered.
  11. Make the tempering: place a frying pan over medium heat, add oil, when the oil turns hot, add mustard seeds, let it splutter.
  12. Add minced small onions, saute till the onions turn golden brown.
  13. Add whole dried red chilies and curry leaves, saute for a few seconds.
  14. Now, add fenugreek seeds and saute till the seeds turn golden in color. Don't burn the seeds, it will taste bitter.
  15. Fenugreek seeds should only be added towards the end, otherwise, it will impart a bitter taste to the tempering.
  16. Ensure not to burn the tempering, remove the pan from the heat and pour the tempering over the fish curry.
  17. Keep the curry covered for some time so that the aroma of the tempering will be infused into the curry.
  18. Serve this curry along with rice, chapati, idiyappam, appam, puttu, etc.
Notes
•This curry tastes better if cooked in a clay pot, leftovers taste even more delicious.
•If you don't have raw mango, add tamarind extract instead. Soak 2-inch slice of fresh tamarind in ¼ cup of warm water for 5 minutes. Combine the tamarind well in water, strain the tamarind extract and add it to the curry. If using concentrated tamarind pulp, use a very less amount ½ tsp or so.
Recipe by Cooking with Thas - Wholesome Homemade Recipes at https://thasneen.com/cooking/kerala-style-fish-curry-in-ground-coconut-gravy/