Kerala Fish curry | Simple Fish curry | Easy Fish curry recipe

Fish Curry without coconut

Kerala......The Land of Spices !!!    Yes, like the name each kitchen is filled different aroma of fish curry which is my all time favorite. This recipe of making fish curry in Kerala style is without adding coconut,where in I got the recipe from one of my friend. The reason why I try out different form of fish curry is, I do not want to feed fried fish for my son . So I keep trying out different recipes of fish curry,where in after long time got a good one to share with :)

Ingredients:

Fish - 1/2 Kg (any kind of Fish variety)

Onion - 2

Tomato - 1

Tamarind water - extracted from Lemon size ball

Green chilli - 2

Coriander leaves - few 

Water - 2 to 3 cups.

Oil - 1 tsp

Salt as required

To grind:

Dr red chilli - 

Coriander seeds or Dhania - 3 tsp

Cumin seeds/Jeera- 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Ginger - 1 inch

Garlic - 5

Method:

 1. After cleaning the fish wash well using crystal salt and turmeric powder and keep aside.

 2. Heat oil in a pan and fry finely chopped onions.

3. Add chopped tomatoes and grind-ed paste and fry for about 3 -4 minutes in low flame.

 4. Add tamarind water and also additional two cups of water and bring it to boil.

5. Boil until raw smell goes off.

 6. At this stage add the salt, cleaned fish pieces and slit green chilli.

7. When the fish is completely cooked well garnish with chopped coriander leaves and a tsp of coconut oil.

 8. Transfer to a serving bowl. 

Kerala Fish curry

My Note:

• Clean the fish well as many times you can. 
• Using coconut oil for frying and adding a tsp at the end adds taste to the curry. You can also use gingelly oil for frying.
• It is said to put off the flame after adding fish.  I don't prefer so cook for about 10 minutes after adding fish.
• After adding fish cook in low flame.
• Prefer always to use crystal salt in your cooking
• The curry goes well with Pulao, Rice, Briyani.

 

Fish fry (method 2) | Vanjaram fish fry

I have previously posted a similar recipe with slight variation in the ingredients. Though I use the previous method to fry all the variety of fishes, I follow the below recipe sometimes to fry especially vanjaram/seer variety,because with less ingredients we feel the flavor and taste of the fish.It will also taste better,so thought just to share with you this similar recipe.

Ingredients :

Fish -7 pieces

Curd -1 tbsp

Ginger Garlic paste -1 tsp

Rice flour -1 tsp

Salt as required

Red chilli powder -4 tsp

Oil to fry

Method:

1. Clean the fish : First wash the fish about 5 to 6 times in water. Add the turmeric powder, salt and mix or rub well and leave aside for about 10 minutes and then just wash only for about 2 times.
2. Mix all the above ingredients (except oil)to afine paste
3. Apply on both sides of fish and leave it aside for about 2 hours.
4. Heat a flat pan/flat skillet and add required oil to fry. The oil should cover till half of the fish.
5. Leave for about 1 minute in medium flame till one side gets cooked, then turn the other side to fry.

Vanjaram fish fry

Note/tips :

• Instead of ginger- garlic paste you can also use whole ginger and garlic pods,if you are grinding the ingredients in blender.
• To avoid masalas coming out while frying....... Take care not to apply more masalas over the fish,just apply a coating.
• while frying wait for at least a minute to turn the fish for frying. Because continuous turning will make the masalas dropping out.
• When making the marinated fish to dry, take care to turn other side after an hour. You can do the same process keeping in freezer instead of room outside.

• Also refer fish fry recipe (method 1) where I have added additional compounds for frying.

Fish curry recipe | Black pomfret fish curry

Fishes found to have more nutritional benefits when compared to other non-vegetarian foods. In that compared to deep frying of any meat,preparing curries would make them to retain the nutrients. Fishes are the richest source of omega-3 fatty acid. The major role of this fatty acid is that a predominant compound in brain development. Also consuming fish helps to stay away from various diseases. Even the vegetarians try to consume this omega-3 fatty acid in the form of tablets. I prepared this recipe using black pomfret (vavvaal in Tamil). But this recipe can be applied to cook any variety of fish.




Ingredients :

Black pomfret fish - 1 cup
Shallots -1/4 cup
Tomato -1
Green chillies -2
Garlic -3 pods
Curry leaves -few
Fenugreek -1/4 tsp
Tamarind - lemon size 
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder -3 tsp
Dhania powder -4 tsp
Coconut milk -2 cups
Gingelly oil -2 tbsp
Salt as required

Pomfret fish curry

Method :

1. Wash the fish at the most you are satisfied its clean.
2. Cut the shallots into fine thin slices. Soak the tamarind and extract the pulp.
3. Grind the coconut to fine paste with little water and extract the milk. This is 1st milk and it will be thick.
4. Grind the coconut adding a glass of water and again extract the second milk for about 1and half cups.
5. Heat oil in a pan,fry fenugreek,shallots,chillies,crushed garlic and saute for while. 
6. Now add in the chopped tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes. 
7. To this add the powders (turmeric,red chilli,dhania) and then add the tamarind juice.
8. Add about 2 cups of water,little salt and let it boil for 10 minutes.
9. After 10 minutes add second coconut milk and boil until the raw smell goes off.
10. It would take about 20 minutes in medium flame. Now add the cleaned fish pieces,first coconut milk extract and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
11. Finally garnish with curry leaves.

Fish curry

Note :

• You can use rock salt and turmeric powder to clean the fishes.
• Water to be added according to the sour taste of tamarind. Also cooking time for the raw smell to go off also depends on tamarind variety you use. So check accordingly.
• Usually it is said to put off the flame once you add the fish, but I don't prefer that. 
• I would feel comfortable when cooked for at least 10 minutes.
• Do not stir the gravy once fishes are added. You can just give a shake with the laddle.
• As we are adding coconut milk, you can refrigerate and reheat later to use it for the next day.

Fish fry (method 1) | Easy fish fry recipes

 When compared to all types non-veg foods, fish seems to have the most nutritious and health benefits. Consuming fish at least twice a week is found to reduce the risk of certain diseases from childhood asthma to prostate cancer. Fishes are the richest source of omega -3 fatty acid,the most predominant compound required for brain development. They are also found to reduce the risk of heart diseases.


Ingredients:

Fish - 10 pieces
Corn flour -3 tsp
Rice flour -2 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder -4 tsp
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Lemon juice -1 tsp
Curd -2 tbsp
Salt -1 and half tsp
Soy sauce -1/2 tsp
Oil to fry

Variety of fish used:

Here I used Butter fish (paarai meen). In this method I also fry Black pomfret (vavaal), Seer fish (vanjaram) not tried in any other varieties. But you can choose the fish variety of your taste and method is same,but take care that fish to be cut in thin cylindrical slices...which would make frying easy and even.


Method:

1. Clean the fish : First wash the fish about 5 to 6 times in water. Add the turmeric powder, salt and mix or rub well and leave aside for about 10 minutes and then just wash only for about 2 times.
2. Add all the above given ingredients (except oil) to a blender and give 3 to 4 pulse. Its just to mix all the ingredients.
3. Marinate the fish with this paste on both sides and leave it aside for about 2 hours.
4. Heat a flat pan/flat skillet and add required oil to fry. The oil should cover till half of the fish.
5. Leave for about 2 minutes in medium flame till one side gets cooked, then turn the other side to fry.

Fish fry

Note/tips :

• Grinding in blender is just to get masalas get mixed evenly,instead using spoon or hand.
• Instead of ginger- garlic paste you can also use whole ginger and garlic pods,if you are grinding the masalas.
• To avoid masalas coming out while frying....... Take care not to apply more masalas over the fish,just apply a coating.
• while frying wait for at least a minute to turn the fish for frying. Because continuous turning will make the masalas dropping out.
• When making the marinated fish to dry, take care to turn other side after an hour. You can do the same process keeping in freezer instead of room outside.
• Do not use food color at any cost to give the eye catching colors as they are not safe to get digested and absorbed.

Sardines pepper fry | how to fry Matthi or Chaala meen

Sardines are called as Matthi in tamil and chaala meen in malayalam.As an usual concept, fishes are generally rich source of Omega -3 fatty acid. In that specifically sardines are one among the most richest source.Sardines particularly have a strong smell when compared to other varieties.They contain the healthy unsaturated fat which lowers the cholesterol and reduce risk of heart diseases. This recipe I learnt from one of my colleague from Kerala. Its very simple to prepare and of course, fish lovers enjoy the most. But some doesn't like this fish because of its strong flavor.



Ingredients:

Sardines (small variety) - 6
Pepper powder -3 tsp
Salt -1 tsp
Oil to fry


Method :

1. Wash and clean the fish without any clots or black wastes.
2. Make a cut in the both sides of the fish (3 cuts maximum) 
3. To this add pepper powder, salt and mix well.
4. After 10 minute's heat oil in kadai/iron tawa and fry these sardines in medium flame.
5. Serve crispy and this fried sardibes can be kept even for the next day.

Pepper fried Sardines

Note:

Washing of sardines require more concentration in cleaning. So take care to clean well.

Do not make more slits/cuts as the fish may get burnt while frying.

Also do not fry without making cut as the fish becomes soggy