Yet another fish curry that my mom often makes…
I repeat fish and Keralites are inseparable. In Kerala, most of the non-vegetarians consume fish on daily basis. There are several different ways of making fish, most common ways are making curries out of it and frying the fish. I have always preferred fried fish than curried ones, even my hubby has the same preference. Hence, now when I make curries I have to volunteer in finishing up the curried fish as I don’t like to see it getting wasted.
This is one of the fish curries that my mom makes often, I have already posted the recipe for some of the other curries. This one is quite easy compared to fish in roasted coconut gravy, as this one doesn’t involve the roasting of coconut part. You just have to grind the grated coconut along with some simple spices and cook it along with the fish. This curry goes well with rice, puttu, chapati etc. In Kerala, this curry is prepared in clay pots, so if you have a clay pot go ahead and make this in it.
I used anchovy fish, you could use any kind of fish like mackerel, sardine, pomfret etc. Also, I have used raw mango, if you don’t have raw mangoes use tamarind juice instead.
Kerala style fish curry in Ground Coconut gravy
Ingredients
- Anchovies, bone removed- 25 (or add pomfret, kingfish, sardines)
- Raw mango, diced- 1 (or add tamarind extract)
- Green chilies, cut half lengthwise- 3
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Salt- 1 1/2 tsp
To grind
- Coconut- 1 1/2 cups
- Chili powder- 2 tsp
- Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
- Small onions, chopped- 4
- Water- 1/2 cup
For tempering
- Oil- 3 tbsp
- Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
- Small onions or shallots, cut small- 2
- Whole dried red chilies- 2
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Fenugreek seeds (optional)- 1 tsp
Instruction
Anchovies:
- Any kind of fish can be used for making this curry- pomfret, sardines, kingfish, etc.
- To a blender jar, add the above-mentioned ingredients “to grind” along with water & grind to a smooth paste.
- 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.
- Add 3/4 cup water to thin down the gravy, and combine well.
- If you don’t have raw mango, add tamarind extract instead- soak 2-inch slice of fresh tamarind in 1/4 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 1/2 tsp or so.
- Place the pan over medium heat, cover the pan with a lid and cook till the gravy comes to a slight boil.
- If the gravy is too thick you could add some more water to thin it down.
- Taste the gravy and add salt if needed.
- If you want the curry to be spicier add some more chili powder as per your needs.
- Lower the heat and cook covered till the fish has cooked well, remove the pan from the heat and keep it covered.
- Place a frying pan over medium heat, add oil, when the oil turns hot, add mustard seeds, and let it splutter.
- Add small onions and whole dried red chilies and curry leaves, saute let the onions turn golden brown.
- Now, add fenugreek seeds and saute till the seeds turn golden in color.
- Fenugreek seeds should only be added toward the end, otherwise, it will impart a bitter taste to the tempering.
- Ensure not to burn the tempering, remove the pan from the heat and pour the tempering over the fish curry.
- Keep the curry covered for some time so that the aroma of the tempering will be infused into the curry.
- Serve this curry along with rice, chapati, idiyappam, appam, puttu, etc.
Tips:
- This curry tastes better if cooked in a clay pon, leftovers taste even more delicious.
- If you don’t have raw mango, add tamarind extract instead. Soak 2-inch slice of fresh tamarind in 1/4 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 1/2 tsp or so.
- Anchovies, bone removed- 25
- Raw mango, diced- 1 (or use tamarind juice)
- Green chilies, cut half lengthwise- 3
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Salt- to taste
- Coconut- 1½ cups
- Chili powder- 2 tsp
- Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
- Small onions, chopped- 4
- Water- enough to make a smooth paste
- Oil- 3 tbsp
- Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
- Small onions or shallots, cut small- 2
- Whole dry Red chili- 2
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
- Fenugreek seeds (optional)- 1 tsp
- To a blender jar, add the above-mentioned ingredients "to grind" along with water & grind to a smooth paste.
- In a saucepan or preferably in a clay pan: combine the anchovies, raw mango, green chilies, curry leaves along with the ground coconut mixture, and add salt.
- Add ½ to ¾ cup water to thin down the gravy, and combine well.
- Place the pan over medium heat, cover the pan with a lid and cook till the gravy comes to a slight boil.
- If the gravy is too thick you could add some more water to thin it down.
- Taste the gravy and add salt if needed.
- If you want the curry to be spicier add some more chili powder as per your needs.
- Lower the heat and cook covered till the fish has cooked well, remove the pan from the heat and keep it covered.
- Place a frying pan over medium heat, add oil, when the oil turns hot, add mustard seeds, and let it splutter.
- Add small onions and whole dried red chilies and curry leaves, saute let the onions turn golden brown.
- Now, add fenugreek seeds and saute till the seeds turn golden in color.
- Fenugreek seeds should only be added toward the end, otherwise, it will impart a bitter taste to the tempering.
- Ensure not to burn the tempering, remove the pan from the heat and pour the tempering over the fish curry.
- Keep the curry covered for some time so that the aroma of the tempering will be infused into the curry.
- Serve this curry along with rice, chapati, idiyappam, appam, puttu, etc.
•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.