Kozhikode Thenga aracha meen curry

Kozhikode meen curry. It used to be the staple during every Saturday evening when I would return famished from the school. This delicacy was prepared by K mom’s helper and my sister’s caretaker. It was the only food mom asked her to prepare since she could never adapt herself to mom’s fiery red fish curry. I used to enjoy her Kozhikode meen curry so much that I never had to eat dinner on Saturdays. Well K and me always had a love hate relationship, not because she hated me but she loved my kid sister too much, whom she was taking care of. Anything new that was my kid sister’s irrespective of whether my mom and dad said otherwise .. “athente kuttide aanu”, meaning “ That is my Kid’s” was her usual remark . Still I used to hang around her because she was a treasure chest of juicy gossips and stories which mom never exposed us to. There are certain things mom’s have no control over ;)  I had been searching for her recipe for a long time and have tried variations. This was the closest recipe I could find. 

Slightly Adapted from Malluspice

Ingredients:

For Gravy:

Fish - 1/2 Kg

Shallots/kunjulli-  4 big sliced

Ginger garlic paste – 2 table spoon

Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder-1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds-1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Grated Coconut– 1 cup
Tamarind extract- 2 tsp or as extracted from a lime (small) sized ball.
Salt-1/2 tsp or to taste

Curry Leaves-1 sprig

Tomato -1  (optional)

For Tempering:

Coconut oil-1 tbs

Mustard- ½ tsp

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Shallots-2 sliced

Instructions:

Grind the coconut to a smooth paste. Pour  it into a pan or claypot. Add all the ingredients listed under gravy to the coconut mixture and mash up everything nicely with your hand.

Bring the mixture to a boil and slide the fish gently to the mixture. Let it boil for another two more minutes.

Reduce the heat and let the curry simmer. Cut the tomatoes in round and place it on the curry. Take the pan by the side and give the curry a swirl so that gravy coats the tomato. Please take care not burn your hands. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Keep it aside

Pour coconut oil in another pan. Once the oil is hot add mustard, shallots. Stir till the shallots achieve a charred brown color. Add curry leaves, switch off and add it to the curry. Keep the lid closed for some time for the flavors to marry.